Project Grant H79FG000732

CAMP MARIPOSA AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH - CM-SW MENTORS CHILDREN IMPACTED BY THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OF A LOVED ONE. COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING WILL HELP 36 KIDS ATTEND THIS INNOVATIVE YEAR-ROUND CAMPING PROGRAM PROVEN TO BREAK THE INTERGENERATIONAL CYCLE OF ADDICTION. CM-SW SERVES CHILDREN LIKE LACEY WHO LOST HER DAD TO A DRUG OVERDOSE. LACEY WAS SHUNNED BY KIDS AT SCHOOL AFTER HER STORY GOT OUT. AT CAMP JUST THREE WEEKS LATER, LACEY TOLD HER STORY AT CAMPFIRE. EVERYONE LISTENED, REACHED OUT AND EMBRACED HER. SHE FOUND FRIENDSHIP, SAFETY, AND A PLACE TO BEGIN HEALING. CM-SW IS A RESEARCH-BASED NATIONAL MODEL DEVELOPED BY ELUNA NETWORK AND STAFFED BY TRAINED MENTORS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. FOR MANY KIDS, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER'S ADDICTION AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS LIKE THEMSELVES. THEY SHARE FEELINGS AND ASK QUESTIONS LIKE, "WHY DOES MY DAD LIKE ALCOHOL MORE THAN ME?" THEY LEARN IT ISN'T THEIR FAULT AND-MOST IMPORTANT-THEY CAN MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES AS THEY GROW UP. WASHINGTON HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN THE COUNTRY. ADDITIONAL YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE NEEDED: A LOCAL SCHOOL REPORTED MORE THAN 60% OF THEIR STUDENTS HAVE HIGH ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE) SCORES, INDICATING HIGHER RISK FOR FUTURE SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS, MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS. ACCESS TO CARE IS LIMITED. PER MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA, WASHINGTON RANKED 27TH IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUTH. CLEARLY THE NEED IS GREAT AND CONTINUES TO GROW AS SERVICES LAG, ACCESS BECOMES NON-EXISTENT, AND ADDING THE LIMITS COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED, PROGRAMS LIKE CAMP MARIPOSA PROVIDE A HUGE BENEFIT TO CHILDREN IN NEED. CAMP MARIPOSA - SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON IS A PROJECT THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY BY PREVENTING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN CHILDREN EXPOSED TO THEM IN THEM HOME ENVIRONMENTS. MORE THAN 33% OF THESE KIDS HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. IN SW WASHINGTON, ALMOST 61% HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OR GRIEF; ALMOST HALF HAVE LOST A PARENT DUE TO DEATH OR SEPARATION. THE 2016 "HEALTHY YOUTH SURVEY" FOUND THAT 20% OF 10TH GRADE STUDENTS DRINK ALCOHOL AND 17% USE MARIJUANA. THESE ARE SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE KIDS, AND CAMP MARIPOSA IS CHANGING THEIR LIVES. A 2019 STUDY BY LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT AMONG ALL CAMP MARIPOSAS ACROSS THE US, ALMOST 93% OF ATTENDEES STATED THEY LEARNED THINGS AT CAMP THAT CAN HELP THEM WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME, AND 95% SAID THERE ARE ADULTS THEY TRUST AT CAMP. MOST IMPORTANTLY, 93% SAY THEY KNOW THEY WILL NOT BECOME ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS. THAT IS WHY CAMP MARIPOSA IS IMPORTANT.