Community Initiated Behavioral Health Care
Grantee: Living Well Kent
Timeframe: July 2024 – June 2025 | Amount: $200,000
This project aims to enhance community-driven behavioral health prevention and early intervention, prioritizing immigrant and refugee communities (Somali, Iraqi, Afghan, Latinx, Ukrainian) in Kent and South King County. The goal is to increase access to care and improve health outcomes for these populations.
Public Health Seattle-King County data from 2017-2021 indicates that residents of Kent and South King County experience higher rates of poor mental health compared to the county average. Similar trends are seen among teens, with elevated depression rates in South King County. Additionally, substance use disorder prevalence and overdose deaths are notably higher in this region. Marginalized communities served by Living Well Kent (LWK) face socioeconomic disparities and racism, which further exacerbate behavioral health challenges. Cultural taboos around mental health and substance use also contribute to stigma, limiting access to care.
To address these issues, LWK piloted a Community Initiated Care (CIC) program from July 2022 to December 2023. This initiative focused on training trusted community members to deliver evidence-informed behavioral health prevention and early interventions. The objective was to empower community members to effectively respond to behavioral health concerns.
Building on the success of the CIC pilot, funded by HealthierHere and concluded in December 2023, LWK will expand the project. The aim is to improve behavioral health outcomes among culturally specific communities through three key components: Initiate, Cultivate, and Integrate.
- Initiate: Community Navigators will receive monthly training on behavioral health topics, including mental health first aid and opioid use disorder. These workshops will feature peer-led interventions and discussions about available behavioral health services, fostering dialogue between behavioral health providers and Navigators to address community needs.
- Cultivate: Navigators will engage community leaders from their respective communities to teach them the skills acquired in the Initiate workshops. These leaders will learn to incorporate behavioral health concepts with culturally affirming practices and identify community-based resources.
- Integrate: Trained leaders will apply their knowledge within their communities through places of worship, community gatherings, and personal relationships. LWK will provide ongoing support, including culturally appropriate materials, warm handoff referrals, and behavioral health service navigation for community members.
The community is at the heart of this project, with Navigators involved in all stages of program planning and implementation. They will collaborate with LWK and the program evaluator to monitor indicators, select workshop topics based on community feedback, and gather information to reduce stigma and foster a shared understanding of mental health and substance use issues.
ABOUT OUR GRANTEE
“Living Well Kent’s mission is to provide public spaces and initiatives that encourage healthier lifestyles and better living.”
”Living Well Kent is a wellness hub for all King County (primarily South King County) residents to become as healthy as possible in a culturally relevant setting. Our Health and Wellness Program provides a wide variety of wellness services and activities, from system navigation like referrals, to access to health screenings and baby items. We hope our time and dedication will enable us and members of our community to positively influence policy change in the greater community.”
Major Grant
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