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| MHB Announces Youth Mini-Grant Opportunities |
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Youth from St. Vincent DePaul
work on a community service project
The St. Louis Mental Health Board is offering five hundred dollar ($500.00) mini-grants to organizations with an annual budget of less than $100,000 that have established youth programs. Eligible programs must have youth members who reside in the City of St. Louis, and have a current 501(c)3 status.
The purpose of the mini-grant is to promote positive youth development and to encourage young people to get involved with their community. The grants are funded by the Community Children's Services Fund, which promotes positive child and youth development in the City of St. Louis through coordinated services and programs.
The goal of the Mini Grant program is to encourage and facilitate youth leadership by engaging them in community service projects. Youth must be fully involved in the planning and implementation of the project. The Community Service Project must address a particular need or issue and benefit a neighborhood or community within the city limits.
The deadline for mini grant proposals is 5:00 pm on April 15, 2008, with the implementation phase from May-August 2008.
For more information or to request an application packet contact Sue Huelsing by e-mail at stlmhb@stlmhb.com
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| MHB Co-Investor Honored At White House Reception |
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Jim Wallis, Kasey Harlin, Mike
Schwend, and Senator Claire McCaskill
at the Senate Building.
Preferred Family Healthcare was honored on Thursday, February 7th, at a small reception in the East room of the White House with President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. This event recognized exemplary helping agencies from across the nation that embrace the mission of First Lady Laura
Bush's "Helping America's Youth" initiative.
"I appreciate very much, those of you who are committed to helping our country by saving souls, and by giving people hope" remarked President Bush in his opening comments.
During the ceremony, First Lady Laura Bush spoke about the strides that youth serving organizations have made against substance abuse and gang activity nationwide. Michael Schwend, President and CEO of Preferred Family Healthcare commented "We are honored to be invited and recognized today by the President and First Lady. Helping all youth we
serve reach their full potential is paramount to Preferred Family Healthcare's mission statement"
President Bush signing the executive order
Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc. has been serving the needs of Missouri citizens since 1979, as a not-for profit agency providing quality mental health and substance abuse treatment services. "We have grown and developed methodically and consistent with our mission", said Schwend.
Mr. Schwend, along with Kasey Harlin (ARTC Project Coordinator - Achieving Recovery thru Creativity), and Jim Wallis, Vice President of Eastern Adolescent Services, were honored to be ambassadors and represent the over 500 staff currently employed with Preferred Family Healthcare.
Currently, Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc. provides mental health and substance abuse treatment services to both youth and adults throughout the State of Missouri as well as in San
Antonio, Texas. Preferred Family Healthcare strives to provide a full continuum of care to their clients in the St. Louis Metro area including St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Franklin County, Lincoln County, Warren County and St. Charles County.
Locally, in St. Louis City, Preferred Family Healthcare provides substance abuse treatment to adolescents and partners with Provident, Inc. in the Transitions to Work for Youth project - both are investments through MHB's Community Children's Services Fund.
For more information, visit their website at www.pfh.org. Additionally, questions or comments can be answered by Jim Wallis at 314.322.5644 or jwallis@pfh.org.
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| Mental Health Association's Self Help Group Directory Now Available! |
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Mental Health Association of
Greater St. Louis
The Mental Health Association of Greater St. Louis has announced the 2008 edition of its Self Help Group Directory is now available. This unique directory contains descriptions and contact information for hundreds of local support groups.
Easy-to-use alphabetical and categorical indices guide you to groups that address parenting, grief, adoption, mental health/mental illness, disabilities, substance abuse, physical health/physical illness, and many other topics.
Mental health professionals, school counselors, ministers, Employee Assistance Programs, social service agencies, Referral specialists, or anyone who assists clients, employees and other persons in locating support groups will find this one-of-a-kind directory invaluable.
Agencies wanting to purchase the directory can visit www.mhagstl.org and click on the home page announcement for an order form. Individuals in the community who need a referral to a self help group can call the Mental Health Association of Greater St. Louis at 314-773-1399 for assistance.
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| Help put Kids First |
The Children of St. Louis County Need Your Help!
Half a million families in St. Louis County are falling through the cracks! Reduced local funding for mental health services and state deficits and cutbacks have left thousands of children and families with nowhere to turn for help.
Putting Kids First wants to address the child abuse, neglect, substance abuse, and mental health issues that are impacting the lives of nearly half the children in St. Louis County.
Log onto the Putting Kids First website for more information and to learn how you can help.
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| MHB Launches New Website! |
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The Mental Health Board is pleased to announce our new and improved website. Check it out @:
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| Spotlight on Innovations |
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A group photo of youth who performed their own arrangements at the A.I.R. Concert, along with Rob and Gary of SDT and Jim Wallis of PFH.
On January 15th, Preferred Family Healthcare and Stray Dog Theatre partnered to present "I'm Out da Streetz"; a music and art event developed through A.I.R. (Addicts in Recovery) at the Tower Grove Abbey.
This event was first envisioned by youth and staff at PFH's St. Louis City Adolescent Treatment Program - as a component of their Achieving Recovery Through Creativity (ARTC) program. All lyrics, music and artwork were composed by youth participating in substance abuse treatment.
One barrier they needed to overcome was to find a site that had the space, setting, and affordability to accommodate the venture. Jim Wallis, Vice President Eastern Adolescent Region, remembered being introduced to Gary Bell and Rob Ogden, founders of Stray Dog Theatre at an event hosted by the St. Louis Mental Health Board. Gary and Rob had shared their story of recently acquiring Tower Grove Abbey and their plans to renovate it as a community theatre venue.
When Jim contacted them, Gary and Rob were excited about the opportunity and happy to help out. The event was a complete success by all accounts and both partners are already planning for the next production.
This partnership represents a perfect example of how MHB Co-Investors can come together to achieve more than either could have accomplished independently.
The Mental Health Board partners with DMH to provide funding for this adolescent treatment program. It was through a Mental Health Board Capital Improvement Grant the PFH had the computers and software that enabled the youth to produce their own music. Additionally, the Mental Health Board invests in SDT to provide a comprehensive after school program at Woerner Elementary School.
Art created by ARTC youth participants |
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A Survivor's Story |
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Occasionally, MHB will be sharing the stories of people whose lives are positively impacted through our investments. In this edition, we will share the story of a victim of torture.
MHB successfully implemented the Comprehensive Services for Survivors project in 2006. This project is funded in part by the Torture Victims Recovery Act of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Mr. A's Story Mr. A. is a 38 year old refugee male from Afghanistan and has been in the United States for about 3 years. At an early age, Mr. A. experienced severe physical and psychological torture from the Taliban. The Taliban used to torture his father in his presence and beat him whenever he cried. At age 11, Mr. A. moved to the former Soviet Union as an orphaned refugee. There he continued to experience persecution that worsened his psychological trauma. These experiences caused depression and severe trauma.
Mr. A. was resettled in St. Louis as a refugee. With assistance from the International Institute, he was able to obtain housing and other basic needs like food. His continuing depression and memories from his tortured past interfered so deeply in Mr. A's life that he soon became homeless. Through the CANA (Care Access for New Americans) program, he was referred to Community Alternatives.
Mr. A. was not only homeless but had no source of income and had no medical insurance to attend to his medical needs. Through case management services, Mr. A. was referred to a psychiatrist for evaluation where he was able to obtain the treatment he needed to begin his recovery. Mr. A. still battles his "demons" but with assistance through Community Alternatives and the Survivor's Project, Mr. A. reports a decrease in negative symptoms.
Mr. A. has been linked to a primary physician and a dentist to attend to his medical needs and is currently living in safe housing. Initially, when Mr. A. was linked to the Survivors Project, he needed an interpreter to communicate. Through ESOL classes and practice with the case worker and others, Mr. A. no longer needs an interpreter. With assistance from the Survivors program, Mr. A. maintains his housing, doctor's appointments and his overall good health.
For information on the Survivor's Project or CANA, contact Allyce Bullock at abullock@stlmhb.com |
| MHB Musings... |
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It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
~Edith Ann
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
~The Summer Day
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