Sundari Foundation Inc

LOTUS HOUSE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR HOMELESS WOMEN, YOUTH AND CHILDREN - TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS (FOA) NO. SM-23-006 (CFDA) NO.: 93.243 PROJECT ABSTRACT THE SUNDARI FOUNDATION, INC. OFFERS THE LOTUS HOUSE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR HOMELESS WOMEN, YOUTH AND CHILDREN PROJECT TO SCREEN 700 UNDUPLICATED WOMEN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ASSIST 350 DIAGNOSED WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL WITH BEHAVIORAL AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ANNUALLY. OVER THE 5 YEAR GRANT PERIOD, 1,750 WILL RECEIVE SERVICES. THE MIAMI-DADE HOMELESS TRUST WILL PROVIDE REFERRALS VIA THE COC COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM AS WELL AS REFERRALS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND OTHER PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS. CITRUS HEALTH NETWORK, A LICENSED BEHAVIORAL/MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER WILL COLLABORATE, OFFERING PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, INCLUDING MEDICATIONS, ALL FREE OF CHARGE ONSITE. LOTUS HOUSE WILL PROVIDE TARGETED, INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO ACCESS COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES. EVIDENCE-BASED MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND SEEKING SAFETY GROUPS ARE PROVIDED ONSITE TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND MENTAL WELLNESS. LOTUS HOUSE WOMEN’S SHELTER PROVIDED SHELTER AND COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO 1,411 WOMEN, YOUTH AND CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN 2022. 67% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK AND 32% WHITE AND OF THESE 37% ARE HISPANIC. 10% IDENTIFY AS LBTQIA+. 40% HAVE SUBSTANCE USE HISTORIES AND/OR TEST POSITIVE AT INTAKE. MOST HAVE UNMET MEDICAL, DENTAL AND OPTICAL NEEDS. 87% HAVE DISABILITIES. 100% LIVE WELL BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. 34% DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND 77% ARE UNEMPLOYED AT INTAKE. ALMOST 1 IN 4 HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE. 94% OF WOMEN AND YOUTH HAD HISTORIES OF TRAUMA AND/OR ABUSE: 92% EXPERIENCED OR WITNESSED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; 35% EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE/ASSAULT; 34% EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD PHYSICAL ABUSE/NEGLECT; 40% PHYSICAL ASSAULT AS ADULT; 22% SEXUAL ASSAULT AS AN ADULT. IN 2022, WE ASSESSED 394 CHILDREN FOR DEVELOPMENTAL FUNCTIONING, TRAUMA HISTORIES, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION. 63% OF OUR CHILDREN EVIDENCED CLINICAL NEED IN AT LEAST ONE AREA. PROJECT GOAL 1: PROVIDE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT - 100% OF 700 INDIVIDUALS WILL RECEIVE SCREENING ASSESSMENTS BY LICENSED LOTUS HOUSE STAFF. -100% OF 350 INDIVIDUALS SCREENED WITH SMI, SED, COD WILL BE LINKED TO OUR COLLABORATIVE LICENSED PROVIDER OR EQUIVALENT FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT. -100% WILL BE OFFERED ANY NEEDED PRESCRIPTIONS FOR MEDICATION FROM OUR COLLABORATIVE LICENSED PROVIDER OR EQUIVALENT. 100% WILL BE OFFERED TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT WHEN NEEDED, ON AN OUTPATIENT BASIS, BY OUR COLLABORATIVE LICENSED PROVIDER OR EQUIVALENT. 60% IMPROVE PCL-5 SCORE PRE/POST. 70% WILL EXIT WITH A MENTAL HEALTH HOME AND RECEIVE AN EXIT RESOURCE GUIDE. GOAL 2: CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES - 100% OF THOSE ASSESSED WITH SMI, SED, COD WILL BE OFFERED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT (INCLUDING LINKS TO EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION, ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, HOUSING ADVOCACY) COORDINATED BY OUR QUALIFIED RESOURCE COORDINATORS BASED ON NEEDS ASSESSED IN THEIR ACTION PLANS.100% WILL BE OFFERED EVIDENCE-BASED COUNSELING BY OUR IN-HOUSE LICENSED COUNSELORS. GOAL 3: ASSIST IN ACCESSING PERMANENT HOUSING - 70% OF THOSE ASSESSED WITH SMI, SED, COD WILL EXIT TO PERMANENT HOUSING. MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IS HOME TO THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES OF ANY URBAN COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES. IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT 9.1% OF THE POPULATION EXPERIENCE SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES, YET ONLY 1% RECEIVE TREATMENT IN THE STATE FUNDED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM. RATES OF SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES ARE TWO TO THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, BUT PER CAPITA STATE SPENDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT RANKS 49TH NATIONALLY. HTTPS://WWW.NASMHPD.ORG/SITE

LOTUS HOUSE TRANSITIONAL LIVING FOR HOMELESS FEMALE YOUTH AND CHILDREN

VA IS PROVIDING PER DIEM FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH THE OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING BEDS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION APPROVES AN AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000 TO SUNDARI FOUNDATION, INC., DBA LOTUS HOUSE WOMEN'S SHELTER. A PORTION OF THE AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,159 IS FUNDED THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. THE PURPOSE OF THE ARP FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,159 IS TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE AMONGST THE MOST VULNERABLE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA WITH A JOB TRAINING AND PUBLIC EDUCATION PROJECT RELATED TO THE AIR TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 AND IMPORTANCE OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY. THE LOTUS HOUSE OPERATIONS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES CURRENTLY SHELTERED GUESTS WITH PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK EXPERIENCE, AND THROUGH THIS GRANT, WILL INCLUDE EDUCATION ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND HANDS-ON TRAINING TO IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY MEASURES. OVER 1300 HIGH SPECIAL NEEDS WOMEN, YOUTH AND CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WILL BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED AIR QUALITY WITHIN THE SHELTER RESULTING FROM AIR FILTER UPGRADES TO HVAC EQUIPMENT. ACTIVITIES:LOTUS HOUSE WILL INTEGRATE COVID-19 SAFETY AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY MEASURES INTO THE LOTUS HOUSE OPERATIONS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TO INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PROPER INSTALLATION OF MERV-13 AIR FILTERS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE. OPERATIONS INTERNS WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AND ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE TEAM DURING MONTHLY REMOVALS AND INSTALLATIONS OF THE MERV-13 FILTERS, EXPOSING CURRENT GUESTS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION DURING THEIR TIME AS INTERNS. ADDITIONALLY, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION FROM PARTNERS WILL BE PROVIDED BI-MONTHLY TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF COVID-19 PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, INCLUDING ACCESS TO TESTING, VACCINES AND RESPIRATORY HEALTH CARE. INFORMATION ON SMOKING, ASTHMA, AND OTHER INFECTIOUS VECTORS WILL BE PROVIDED, AS WELL AS CHILDREN'S AIR-RELATED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: 1) INSTALLATION OF 3-MONTH SUPPLY OF HIGH-GRADE MERV-13 AIR FILTERS. 2) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING AIR SANITATION SYSTEMS WITHIN THE SHELTER, INCLUDING ULTRAVIOLET AIR-DUCT CLEANING SYSTEM. 3) INACTIVATION OF 99.97% OF VIRUSES AND BACTERIA IN THE AIR WITHIN THE LOTUS HOUSE SHELTER. 4) DISTRIBUTION OF AIR QUALITY AND RESPIRATORY HEALTH INFORMATION TO SHELTER GUESTS AND INTERNSHIP TEAM. 5) PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE SUMMARIZED IN A 'HOW TO' PAPER WHICH WILL BE SHARED VIA WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE 1300 SPECIAL NEEDS WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL AREA STAYING AT THE SHELTER.