Voices For Children

PARENT INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS - PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING - TNV RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL SET OF RURAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO INTERACT WITH YOUTH AND ADULTS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN. TO MEET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN MIDDLE AND EAST TENNESSEE, TNV WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) TRAINING FOR A MINIMUM OF 250 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE MIDDLE AND EAST REGIONS OF TENNESSEE PER YEAR OVER A 5-YEAR TIME PERIOD. BY PROVIDING MHFA TO TRUSTED PROFESSIONALS AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS LIVING AND WORKING DIRECTLY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, TNV AIMS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IN ASSISTING TO MAKE REFERRALS TO MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS OFFERING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. LETTERS OF COMMITMENT FROM 25 AGENCIES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN SUPPORT OF TNV’S MHFA PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FROM SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, FOSTER CARE AGENCIES, DRUG COALITIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. EACH AGENCY HAS COMMITTED TO ALLOWING TNV TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO THEIR AGENCY STAFF TO ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS IN RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS WHO THEY INTERACT WITH DAILY. OUR APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING GOALS: 1. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TRAINED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AND/OR SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING CRISIS REQUIRING REFERRALS OR DE-ESCALATION, 2. INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND 3. INCREASE THE NUMBER REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS ACROSS TENNESSEE. POPULATIONS TO BE SERVED THROUGH REFERRALS FROM MHFA TRAINERS INCLUDE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, FAMILIES OF YOUNG ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, AND FAMILIES OF PERSONS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD), AND THE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE THEM. BY ACCOMPLISHING THESE GOALS, CHILDREN, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE THE SKILLS TO ASSIST SOMEONE WHO HAS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS OR IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

STATEWIDE FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK OUTREACH AND AWARENESS PROGRAM

TENNESSEE VOICES RURAL FAMILY NETWORK - THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND SERVICE SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SED WILL ENSURE THAT FAMILIES ARE TRANSFORMATION CATALYSTS OF A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND FAMILY DRIVEN MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE SYSTEMS ACROSS TN THROUGH COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN RURAL FAMILY MEMBERS, POLICYMAKERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, FAMILY ORGANIZATIONS AND TARGETED RESOURCES. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND THEIR FAMILIES EFFECTED BY SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE ACROSS RURAL TENNESSEE. TENNESSEE HAS AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF 6,829,174 PEOPLE. 97 PERCENT IS RURAL. 78.4% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION IS WHITE, 17.1% - AFRICAN AMERICAN, 2.0% -ASIAN, 0.5% - AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKA NATIVE, 0.1% - NATIVE HAWAIIAN OR OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER, AND 5.7% - OF HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN. THE POPULATION OF THOSE UNDER 18: 49% ARE FEMALE AND 51% MALE. 22% OF THE POPULATION IS UNDER 18. 94.6% SPEAK ENGLISH AND 3.9% SPANISH. 24% OF THOSE CHILDREN UNDER 18 RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND 19.4% LIVE IN POVERTY. LGBTQ POPULATION AGE 13 AND UP IN THE STATE - 223,000. THERE ARE 3,240 EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED STUDENTS WHICH IS 3.3% OF THE TOTAL IN TN RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: 1: DEVELOP A NETWORK OF FAMILY AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS WITH SYSTEMS CHANGE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY THAT REFLECTS THE CULTURE, TRADITIONS, AND BELIEFS OF RURAL TN: INCREASE FAMILY RUN INITIATIVE PARTICIPATION IN SYSTEMS CHANGE; LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR FAMILIES AND YOUTH. 2. INCREASE FAMILY ORGANIZATION SKILLS AND COLLABORATION WITHIN AND ACROSS PROGRAMS, PROVIDERS, AND POLICYMAKERS; IMPROVE RURAL FAMILY LEADER AND ORGANIZATION SKILLS AND CAPACITY; STATE AND/OR LOCAL PLANNING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT WORKGROUPS WILL HAVE A FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE; DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING THAT INCREASES THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEMS OF CARE, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND FAMILIES TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN A FAMILY DRIVEN APPROACH. CHILD SERVING PROGRAMS AND AGENCIES WILL INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT FAMILY DRIVEN PRACTICES; UPDATES OR RESOURCES WILL BE SHARED ANNUALLY ACROSS THE STATE. 3. REDUCE STIGMA, BIAS, AND SUPERSTITION OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES THAT INTERFERE WITH THE UTILIZATION OF NETWORKS OF SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN. PRODUCE TRAINING RESOURCES ON STIGMA, BIAS, AND BULLYING, TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN EACH RURAL REGION. 4. INCREASE FAMILY CAPACITY TO ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND UTILIZE SUPPORTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THEIR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITHIN RURAL TN. FAMILY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE LINKED TO THE FSS COALITION; RURAL REGIONS WILL HAVE A LOCAL CONTACT FOR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL; REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION CENTERS TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN UNDERSTANDING, ACCESSING, AND ADVOCATING FOR SERVICES; RESOURCES THAT GUIDE FAMILIES AS THEY NAVIGATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, HELP THEM ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEEDS AND UNDERSTAND THE CHILD SERVING SYSTEMS; OUTREACH ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

COMPASSION CAPITAL FUND (CCF) COMMUNITIES EMPOWERING YOUTH (CEY)

TENNESSEE VOICES FOR CHILDREN INC. STATEWIDE FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK PROGRAM

TENNESSEE VOICES FOR CHILDREN, INC.

DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES SUPPORT PROGRAM

RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM