Claiborne Healthcare Foundation Inc

CLAIBORNE PARISH PROJECT AWARE - CLAIBORNE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION WILL PROVIDE THE CLAIBORNE PROJECT AWARE PROGRAM TO IMPROVE MENTAL WELLBEING IN CLAIBORNE PARISH, LOUISIANA THROUGH A COORDINATED COMMUNITY-WIDE PLAN THAT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH LITERATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ABLE TO PROACTIVELY RESPOND TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES OF ITS RURAL COMMUNITY. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO COME INTO CONTACT WITH BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. OUR IDENTIFIED POPULATIONS OF FOCUS ARE SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY. CLAIBORNE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION HAS DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO HOST/CONDUCT TRAININGS, ASSIST WITH THE RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND TO IMPROVING THE COORDINATION OF SERVICES TO THE POPULATIONS OF FOCUS. THE FOUR GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE 1) BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE TARGET POPULATION; 2) INCREASE THE MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY OF ADULTS IN CLAIBORNE PARISH; 3) REDUCE STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS; AND 4) INCREASE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. CLAIBORNE AWARE WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (RURAL/FIRE AND EMS/LAW ENFORCEMENT; YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID; TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID; AND APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS AND TRAINING (A.S.I.S.T.) TO 2,800 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS OVER THE 5 YEAR FUNDING PERIOD. IN ADDITION, A PARISH-WIDE MULTI-LEVEL SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN WILL BE CONDUCTED TO COMBAT THE STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS. THE CLAIBORNE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION IS CONFIDENT THAT A CULTURE OF COMPASSION AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS WILL BE CULTIVATED IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS PROJECT.