LeadingAge and NewCourtland have selected recipients for a second round of grants through the Innovations Fund, which promotes nonprofit providers with ideas that benefit residents or the community. Seven grants of up to $25,000 were awarded to the following organizations:
- CJE SeniorLife, Chicago — Selected for an Early Detection Training Program for housing staff that will educate housing managers and service coordinators on early detection of mental health issues and how to engage with residents and guide them to appropriate resources. CJE will also start a coaching hotline
- Hearth Inc., Boston — Selected for implementing an evidence-based Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program.
- National Church Residences, Columbus, OH — Selected to implement the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) Survey and Coaching system at two of its affordable using properties using student volunteers from local universities and colleges needing field experience.
- Christopher Community Inc., Syracuse, NY — Selected to start the BeWell (Behavioral and Emotional Wellness Empowers Later Life) program, which integrates psycho-educational activities, screening and interventions for geriatric depression.
- Volunteers of America, Alexandria, VA — Selected to pilot the Healthy IDEAS program in 25 housing communities in Florida and Texas. Healthy IDEAS is an evidenced-based program to detect and address depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic health conditions and functional limitations.
- Front Porch, Burbank, CA — Selected to offer group mental health education sessions and one-on-one therapy to residents in two senior housing properties and participants of a senior center via video conferencing technologies. Services will be offered in English, Korean and Spanish. Front Porch will collaborate with USC Telehealth and Special Service for Groups.
- Fair Share Northgate II, Camden, NJ — Selected to develop the Bridges to Health program to address residents’ holistic health and social service needs. Fair Share will collaborate with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and Catholic Charities of Diocese of Camden.
“Several of this year’s grantees address mental health issues, including depression. This is a growing and challenging area of concern that affordable housing communities are seeing across their resident populations,” said Larry Minnix, LeadingAge’s president and CEO.
Additional details can be seen at http://www.leadingage.org/2014_innovations_fund.aspx
