Jewish Community Services Of South Florida Inc

PACTT (PROVIDING ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN WITH TRAUMA FOCUSED TREATMENT) - OUR PROPOSED PROJECT PACTT (PROVIDING ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN TRAUMA FOCUSED TREATMENT) WILL PROVIDE TRAUMA SERVICES IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY FL, ONE OF ONLY A FEW COUNTIES IN THE US WITH A RACIAL/ETHNIC "MINORITY MAJORITY" POPULATION. WHILE PACTT WILL SERVE A COUNTYWIDE CATCHMENT AREA, IT WILL HEAVILY FOCUS ON TWO COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING DISPROPORTIONATE TRAUMATIC EVENTS WITH CORRESPONDING IMPACTS ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: (1) HOMESTEAD (SOUTH DADE); AND (2) OVERTOWN. THESE CATCHMENT AREAS SHARE COMMON DENOMINATORS SUCH AS POVERTY REFLECTING STARK RACIAL DIMENSIONS, FREQUENT INCIDENCES OF VIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING GANG VIOLENCE, POOR QUALITY SCHOOLS, AND OTHER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUITY. AMONG MIAMI-DADE YOUTH, 15.2% REPORT FOUR OR MORE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES), WHICH ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH DEPRESSION RATES (FYSAS 2020). OVER THE FIVE YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, WE WILL PROVIDE TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (TF-CBT) TO APPROXIMATELY 107 CHILDREN (5-11), AND 249 ADOLESCENTS (12-17) AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCE, OR ARE AT-RISK FOR EXPERIENCING, TRAUMATIC EVENTS SUCH AS COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, FAMILY VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, BULLYING, AND INCLUDING POLY-VICTIMIZATION (MULTIPLE TYPES OF VICTIMIZATION). AGE WISE, ABOUT 17% WILL BE 5-9 YEARS OF AGE, 19% 10-12 YEARS OLD, 41% 13-15 YEARS OLD, 23% WILL BE 16-17 AND 65% WILL BE FEMALE. THE RACIAL/ETHNICITY BREAKDOWN IS EXPECTED TO BE AS FOLLOWS: HOMESTEAD - 15,434 HISPANIC 67%; BLACK 21%, AND WHITE 12%; AND OVERTOWN = 1,173 BLACK 75%; HISPANIC 20%, AND OTHER 5%. PROJECT PACTT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC (JCS). FOUNDED IN 1920, JCS HAS PROVIDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO OUR MIAMI DADE COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. WE PROVIDE A SINGLE HIGH-QUALITY STANDARD OF CARE FOR ALL CLIENTS SEEKING SERVICES INDEPENDENT OF RACE, RELIGION, IDENTITY, AND GENDER. MOREOVER, WE MANAGE THE 2-1-1 HELP LINE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK IN ALL LANGUAGES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY ARE IN CRISIS AND/OR DO NOT KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN. WE WILL LEVERAGE OUR 5+ YEAR EVALUATION PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MILLER (UM) MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE'S DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FIELD OF TRAUMA-RELATED MENTAL DISORDERS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE TRAUMA-FOCUSED TREATMENT. OUR OVERARCHING PACTT GOAL IS TO: PROVIDE AND INCREASE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE TRAUMA-FOCUSED TREATMENT AND SERVICES SYSTEMS FOR 375 CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCE TRAUMATIC EVENTS IN MIAMI-DADE AND PARTICULARLY IN OVERTOWN AND HOMESTEAD. WE ARE SUCCESSFULLY WRAPPING UP A SAMHSA CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS INITIATIVE AND, WITH SAMHSA'S HELP, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS LIFESAVING WORK UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THESE EFFORTS WITHOUT FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, A GOAL THAT WAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY COVID'S ECONOMIC TOLL ON OUR COMMUNITY.

JCS' PROJECT STOP WILL ENHANCE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT, SUSTAIN, AND IMPROVE EFFECTIVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION SERVICES FOR 9 - 20 YEAR OLDS.

SWITCHBOARD OF MIAMI INC. PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN A COLLABORATIVE TRAUMA INITIATIVE: PACTT (PROVIDING ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN WITH TRAUMA-FOCUSED TREATMENT). THIS INITIATIVE WAS SPECIFICALLY DATA-DRIVEN TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS WELL-DOCUMENTED, UNMET NEEDS OF TRAUMA-AFFECTED CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND FAMILIES, WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED AS DISPARITY SUBPOPULATIONS. THE OTHER DISPARITY POPULATIONS PACTT WILL REACH ARE A LARGE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER AND A JUVENILE JUSTICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TRAUMA SERVICES TO ADDRESS HIGH UNMET NEEDS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. WHILE SWITCHBOARD HAS AN EXISTING TF-CBT PROGRAM, IT IS OVER-CAPACITY, AS IS THE OTHER MAJOR TRAUMA SERVICES PROVIDER IN OUR LARGE COUNTY. PACTT IS GUIDED BY TWO OVERARCHING GOALS AND MANY OBJECTIVES TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION IN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THIS ABSTRACT. SERVICES GOAL 1: REDUCE THE UNMET NEED FOR TRAUMA-FOCUSED SERVICES FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES; AND INFRASTRUCTURE; GOAL 2: STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF THE CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED, TRAUMA-FOCUSED CARE. PACTT PROPOSES TO SCREEN (N=1800) AND ASSESS (N=1118) FOR TRAUMA AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED TF-CBT SERVICES TO 475 OF THESE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES (100 PER YEAR MINUS START-UP) WHOSE SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT INTERNALIZING PROBLEMS, SUCH AS DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY, AND/OR EXTERNALIZING PROBLEMS, LIKE AGGRESSION, CONDUCT PROBLEMS, AND OPPOSITIONAL OR DEFIANT BEHAVIOR. MOREOVER, PACTT WILL ENHANCE SYSTEM CAPACITY TO BECOME BETTER TRAUMA-INFORMED BY TRAINING 1350 OR MORE LOCAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE PROFESSIONALS AND WILL BUILD TRAUMA-FOCUSED INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH CREATION OF AN INITIAL ADVISORY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE DRUG RESEARCH CENTER (CDRC), A NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RESEARCH TEAM, WILL LEAD THE PROCESS AND OUTCOME EVALUATION.

THE PACTT INITIATIVE

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING GRANT - OUR PROPOSED MHAT PROJECT WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH (MH) AWARENESS TRAINING IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA. ONE OF ONLY A FEW COUNTIES IN THE US WITH A RACIAL/ETHNIC "MINORITY MAJORITY" POPULATION, MIAMI DADE'S 2,830,500 RESIDENTS REPRESENTS A VIBRANT MOSAIC OF RACE, ETHNICITIES, AND CULTURES (69% HISPANIC/18% BLACK; 13% WHITE/OTHER - MIAMI DADE DEMOGRAPHICS, 2020/MIAMI MATTERS). OUR POPULATION OF FOCUS IS INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES EXHIBITING SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS TO INCLUDE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, VETERANS, CHILDREN WITH A SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, ADULTS WITH A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (SMI), INDIVIDUALS WITH CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. MIAMI DADE IS HOME TO THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH SMI, SUCH AS SCHIZOPHRENIA, BIPOLAR DISORDER, AND MAJOR DEPRESSION, OF ANY URBAN COMMUNITY IN THE US (HTTPS://WWW.JUD11.FLCOURTS.ORG/CRIMINAL-MENTAL-HEALTH-PROJECT). MOREOVER WITH 346,090 OF OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AND 4,630 OF THESE LIVES LOST (AS OF 1.20.2021, ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE US), THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN A CRUSHING TOLL ON INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH (MH) IN OUR COUNTRY. OUR MHAT PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC (JCS). FOUNDED IN 1920, JCS HAS PROVIDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO OUR MIAMI-DADE COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. JCS PROVIDES A SINGLE HIGH-QUALITY STANDARD OF CARE FOR ALL CLIENTS SEEKING SERVICES INDEPENDENT OF RACE, RELIGION, IDENTITY, AND GENDER. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED A SAMHSA MHAT GRANT WITH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) TRAINING (INCLUDING THE YOUTH MODEL YMHFA) THAT EXPIRES ON 9/29/2021. WHILE WE EXCEEDED OUR PROJECT GOALS, FOR THIS CURRENT GRANT WE NOW SEE AT THE END OF THIS CYCLE A GAP IN TRAINING ESPECIALLY WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND FRONT LINE WORKERS THAT HAS BEEN INTENSIFIED DUE TO COVID-19. WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS NEW GRANT TO STRATEGICALLY PLACE OURSELVES AT THE HEART OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CORAL GABLES POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MIAMI-DADE FIRE RESCUE AND HOLD THESE TRAININGS AT THEIR FACILITIES. THE NEED IS SUPPORTED BY AN INTERNAL SURVEY DONE OF 753 MIAMI DADE POLICE OFFICERS WHERE NEARLY 5% INDICATED CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT ELEVATIONS ON THE TRAUMA SCALE (MDPD'S PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES SECTION, OCTOBER 2019). AFTER EXTENSIVE PLANNING AND DISCUSSION, WE ARE PROPOSING TO LEVERAGE OUR SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE AND OUTCOMES TO IMPLEMENT A MORE AGILE, 3 TIERED MH AWARENESS TRAINING APPROACH BY ADDING QPR (QUESTION, PERSUADE, AND REFER), AND ASIST (APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING) TO OUR EXISTING MHFA AND YMHFA PORTFOLIO. OVER THE 5 YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, WE WILL PROVIDE MH AWARENESS TRAINING TO MORE THAN 3,000 INDIVIDUALS /MH FIRST AIDER TRAINEES TO INCLUDE SCHOOL PERSONNEL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, VETERANS, ARMED SERVICES MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR US, EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS, TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS FOR OUR DIVERSE POPULATION OF FOCUS. THIS APPROACH WILL OPERATIONALIZE OUR PROJECT'S OVERARCHING GOAL TO: INCREASE MH AWARENESS SAFE AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSES AMONG INDIVIDUALS WHO INTERACT AND COME INTO CONTACT WITH PERSONS WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING OR EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF A MENTAL DISORDER. INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED AS IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND NON-CRISIS WILL BE REFERRED TO ONE OF NINE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR WHICH LONGSTANDING REFERRAL AGREEMENTS ARE IN PLACE OR OT OUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH TRAUMA PROGRAM.

SWITCHBOARD OF MIAMI, AND OUR FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY (FMU) AND HEALTH SERVICES AND HEALTH PLANNING PARTNERS, PROPOSE TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT PROTECT IN MIAMI GARDENS TO REDUCE SA/HIV/VH HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY 18-24 YEAR OLDS. PROJECT PROTECT WILL INTEGRATE AND IMPLEMENT THE EVIDENCE-BASED PROMISE AND THE NREPP CHALLENGINGCOLLEGE ALCOHOL ABUSE (CCAA) SOCIAL NORMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES TO 18-24 YEAR OLDS USING A PEER-TO-PEER CAPACITY BUILDING APPROACH; AND TARGET NREPP SAY IT STRAIGHT (SIS) AND HEALER WOMEN FIGHTING DISEASE WHICH COVERS BOTH SUBSTANCE USE AND HIV/AIDS PREVENTION.

PROJECT PROTECT

JCS' MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING VETERANS, WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING MENTAL DISORDERS WHICH MAY BE IMPAIRING THEIR FUNCTIONING IN DAILY LIFE.

SWITCHBOARD OF MIAMI, PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT ON THE MDC WOLFSON CAMPUS IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI (33132) THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) TRAINING. GIVEN THAT MDC TRANSITION-AGED STUDENTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE (58%), HISPANIC (64%), AND LOW INCOME (64%), THEY ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. A 2013 NIDA REPORT NOTED A DISTURBING TREND IN INJECTION DRUG USE AMONG A NEW, YOUNG ADULT COHORT OF PRESCRIPTION OPIOID INJECTORS, HEROIN INITIATES, AND METHAMPHETAMINE USERS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. THOUGH THE NEED IS GREAT, MDC HAS NO STUDENT COUNSELING CENTERS OR FORMAL PROCESS TO CONNECT STUDENTS IN DISTRESS TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES THEY REQUIRE. THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANY MHFA INSTRUCTORS OR FIRST AIDERS WITHIN THE 33132 ZIP CODE AND ONLY 6 INSTRUCTORS AND 441 FIRST AIDERS "LOCATED IN AND AROUND MIAMI." THE NEWLY TRAINED FIRST AIDERS WILL SATURATE THE MDC WOLFSON CAMPUS AND DOWNTOWN MIAMI (33132) WITH AN ESTIMATED RATIO OF 1 FIRST AIDER TO EVERY 15 TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH ON CAMPUS. PROJECT AWARE GOALS ARE TO: INCREASE THE MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY OF ADULTS WHO INTERACT WITH THE TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH WHO ATTEND MDC'S WOLFSON CAMPUS; INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF ADULTS WITHIN OUR GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA TO RESPOND TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES OF TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH; CONDUCT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITH TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND PROMOTE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; LINK TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES TO MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES; INCREASE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH YOUTH-SERVING AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.

JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., FOR A NORC-SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM.

PROJECT AWARE