Project Grant H79FG000860

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES. - THE GREATER SCRANTON YMCA UNDERSTANDS MENTAL HEALTH AND THE RISK FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY LIMITED RESOURCES, INCREASED SOCIAL ISOLATION AND EXTREME ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. DURING THIS EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PRESSES ON, THE YMCA IS HERE AND THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES ARE GREAT. THROUGH COLLABORATING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN, ADULTS, OLDER ADULTS AND FAMILIES, YMCAS ACROSS OUR REGION WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE A LASTING, PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EMERGENCY WE ARE FACING THROUGH ITS PROGRAM TITLED "YMCA'S MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE AND USE DISORDER TREATMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES." THE GREATER SCRANTON YMCA, WILKES-BARRE FAMILY YMCA, GREATER PITTSTON YMCA, FREELAND YMCA, GREATER CARBONDALE YMCA, AND WAYNE COUNTY YMCA, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN WAYNE, LACKAWANNA, AND LUZERNE COUNTIES AND ALSO SERVE RESIDENTS OF PIKE COUNTY, WILL SERVE AS SAFE, WELCOMING SPACES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS - BOTH YMCA MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS - TO CONVENE TO GROW STRONGER IN MIND AND BODY. YMCA PROGRAMS WILL PROMOTE THE PREVENTION/TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND RECOVERY SERVICES, AS WELL AS WORK TO PREVENT THE ONSET OF DRUG USE AND ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO USE AMONG CHILDREN. THE GREATER SCRANTON YMCA IS THE LEAD YMCA FOR THIS PROJECT. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AT ALL PARTICIPATING YMCAS, WITH THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT EACH Y DELIVERING THE PROGRAM. THE YMCAS INCLUDED IN THIS COLLABORATIVE ARE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES. THE YMCAS SERVE MORE THAN 30,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY, MANY OF WHOM WERE FACING MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC; NOW THOSE ISSUES ARE MAGNIFIED. ALTHOUGH OPEN TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE YMCAS WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET LOW-INCOME, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY OTHERWISE NOT HAVE ACCESS TO NEEDED SERVICES, OR WHO MAY DESIRE ALTERNATIVE SERVICE OPTIONS. RESEARCH SHOWS PREVENTATIVE SERVICES CAN REDUCE HOSPITALIZATION RATES AND MEDICAL EXPENSES, LEADING TO SAVINGS FOR TAXPAYERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE YMCAS WILL LEASE VEHICLES, ENSURING PROGRAM STAFF CAN REACH UNDERSERVED AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE AND USE DISORDER TREATMENT SERVICES PROJECT, THE YMCAS WILL REDUCE RISK FACTORS FOR LATER ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONGST CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS; INCREASE FAMILY BONDING, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, POSITIVE PARENTING SKILLS, POSITIVE COMMUNICATION AND FAMILY ORGANIZATION; INCREASE ADULTS' CAPACITY TO MANAGE HIGH STRESS SITUATIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO SUBSEQUENT MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THE RISK FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE; AND WILL PARTNER WITH ONE PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY TO LEAD A COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN WITH THE GOAL OF ENSURING COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIVING IN THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE YMCAS ARE AWARE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PROGRAM. THE YMCAS WILL COLLECTIVELY OFFER UP TO 17 CLASSES EACH WEEK FOCUSING ON SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. EXAMPLES OF CLASSES INCLUDE: ART THERAPY, MUSIC THERAPY, YOGA, MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION, STRETCHING, WALKING/RUNNING, NUTRITION & COOKING THERAPY. COLLECTIVELY, THE YMCAS WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM.