Addressing Behavioral Health Impacts of COVID for Underrepresented Groups
Mental health is both an identified health risk factor and adverse health outcome associated with COVID-19. The pandemic has shown to be associated with an increase in substance misuse, suicidal ideation, and opioid overdoses. Combined with preexisting disparities in access to mental health and substance-use treatment service in Black and Latino communities, the pandemic has illustrated a heightened need for mental health and substance use services which was the driving factor in the development of the Behavioral Health Grants project. A request for applications (RFA) process was used to award funding to community-based organizations to reach the underrepresented groups with heightened need.
This initiative uses a community-engaged, asset-based approach to improve mental well-being, prevent substance related illness and death, and promote recovery among Michigan’s five underrepresented groups. As such, the areas that were selected for this project, have a particularly high rate of vulnerability to the mental health and well-being impacts of COVID-19.
Eligibility: To ensure that the project activities increase access to, and community participation in, mental health services and substance use recovery services and directly reach and benefit Michigan’s underrepresented groups the following elements were considered in the selection process of the applicants:
- Demonstrated experience and capacity to use the award to enhance collaborative work to address mental health needs and substance use recovery services.
- Include or collaborate with organizations comprised of people with lived experience of one or more of Michigan’s underrepresented groups.
- Include or collaborate with organizations comprised of people with lived experience of needs related to mental health and well-being and/or substance use recovery.
- Mission and values align with those of the communities they serve.
- Leadership and staff, preferably, reflect the communities they serve.
- Trusted community entity in the communities they plan to serve.
To learn more about this effort, check out the grantees and their work below.