Sacred Path

ORANGE COUNTY CIRCLES OF CARE INDIGENOUS PROJECT - THE SACRED PATH INDIGENOUS WELLNESS CENTER CIRCLES OF CARE PROJECT WILL PLAN, DEVELOP, AND EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM OF CARE MODEL (SCM) FOR DELIVERING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO URBAN AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE CHILDREN (AGES 0-21) AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ORANGE COUNTY. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY, ASSESS, DEVELOP, AND STRENGTHEN CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY. A PRIMARY FOCUS IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCM THAT IS NEEDS-DRIVEN AND STRENGTHS-BASED AND INFORMED DIRECTLY BY CONSUMERS, PARENTS, PROVIDERS, AND TRADITIONAL HEALERS WITHIN THE ORANGE COUNTY AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY. THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE: (1) A COUNTYWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY. AN IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE ISOLATION OF COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED INDICATORS OF EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL, EDUCATIONAL, VOCATIONAL, CULTURAL, AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING FOR THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THE USE OF COMMUNITY FORUMS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS WITHIN THE AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY. (2) EVALUATION OF THE EXISTING SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM AVAILABLE TO AMERICAN INDIAN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN ORANGE COUNTY, TO DESCRIBE SERVICES, IDENTIFY ACCESS BARRIERS, AND ASSESS THE CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS OF SERVICES. THIS EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE BOTH AMERICAN INDIAN AND NON-AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY-BASED AGENCIES. (3) AN ANALYSIS OF SERVICE GAPS BETWEEN THE IDENTIFIED AMERICAN INDIAN AND THE NON- AMERICAN INDIAN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SERVICE PROVIDERS BASED ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE EVALUATION OF CURRENT SERVICE SYSTEM. THE PROGRAM WILL FORMULATE A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS SERVICE DELIVERY GAPS, WHICH WILL INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND SENSITIVE SYSTEM OF CARE SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL. (4) DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND SENSITIVE SYSTEM OF CARE SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL, AS WELL AS AN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT PLAN AND A FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT THAT IS INFORMED THROUGH THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND GAPS ANALYSIS PROCESSES AND REFINED THROUGH COMMUNITY CONSENSUS. A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO INITIATE THE COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY AND AGENCY STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL FOR SERVICE DELIVERY, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SYSTEM OF CARE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT CIRCLES OF CARE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH STATUS OF URBAN AMERICAN INDIAN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ORANGE COUNTY SPECIFICALLY AND WILL ALSO PROVIDE A VALUABLE TEMPLATE FOR REPLICATION BY OTHER URBAN AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

ENGAGES PERSONS 55 AND OLDER IN VOLUNTEER SERVICE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

TRI-COUNTY RSVP IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL NEED FOR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WITHIN ROBESON, SCOTLAND, AND HOKE COUNTIES, NC. THE AREA IS RURAL, PREDOMINANTLY LOW INCOME, WITH A DIVERSE POPULATION (WHITE, NATIVE AMERICAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND HISPANIC). THE BASE FUNDING PROJECT WILL RECRUIT 55 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS, AGE 55 AND OLDER, WHILE AUGMENTED FUNDS WILL RECRUIT 375 VOLUNTEERS THROUGH MEDIA OUTLETS, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, FLYERS, CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND OTHER TRADITIONAL APPROACHES. VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING WILL BE ORGANIZED BY THE PROJECT COORDINATOR, 3 CARE CONSULTANTS, 1 INTAKE SPECIALIST AND 1 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF AREA SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH AND SUPPORT AGENCIES AND BRI CARE CONSULTATION PROGRAM. PRIOR TO PLACEMENT OF THE RSVP VOLUNTEERS, STATION SUPERVISORS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHICH WILL DEFINE THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEER STATIONS, THE SPONSOR, RSVP STAFF AND ASSIGNED VOLUNTEERS CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICIES, RULES AND REGULATIONS OF RSVP AND CNCS. 55 BASE FUNDED RSVP UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN NATIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURE OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. THROUGHOUT THE CONDUCT OF THIS PROJECT, ACTIVITIES THAT ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS IN MEANINGFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES WILL BE OF PARAMOUNT INTEREST. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, FOOD COLLECTION, AND FOOD PANTRY SUPPORT. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS HEALTHY FUTURES - FOOD AND OBESITY AND FOOD INSECURITY. AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR GRANT, THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME WILL BE 205 INDIVIDUALS REPORTED INCREASED FOOD SECURITY OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN (HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY) AS A RESULT OF CNCS-SUPPORTED SERVICES. 375 AUGMENTATION FUNDED RSVP CAREGIVER UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS WILL IMPLEMENT ACTION PLANS FOR ADULT SENIORS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF 3 CARE CONSULTANTS. THE PROJECT WILL ALLOW FOR 430 TOTAL RSVP UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS. THE CNCS FEDERAL SHARE INVESTMENT OF $50,432 IN BASE FUNDING AND $125,000 IN AUGMENTATION FUNDING WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $104,664.00 FROM SACRED PATHWAYS. PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT ADDRESS READING ENRICHMENT TO ADDRESS LOW EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND INCREASED ACCESS TO READING MATERIALS AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO SUPPORT AND PUBLIC AGENCY SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY SACRED PATHWAYS BUT ARE NOT PART OF THIS RSVP PROJECT. PLANNED ACTIVITIES THAT PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED ACCESS TO CARE FOR THE ELDERLY AND SHUT-INS THROUGH COMPANIONSHIP WILL BE TRANSITIONED INTO A NEWLY PROPOSED EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM KNOWN AS BRI CARE CONSULTATION.