Project Grant H79SM083921

NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES UNITED (NCFU) STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK - THE PROJECT NAME IS NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES UNITED STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK, IT WILL SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY AND YOUTH VOICE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND STATE SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION THUS ENABLING FAMILIES AND YOUTH TO NAVIGATE THEIR SYSTEM AND CARE, MAKING WISE MENTAL HEALTH CARE DECISIONS. THE TARGET POPULATIONS TO BE SERVED THROUGH THE STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK (SFN) ARE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH (AGES 0-26) WITH BEHAVIORAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES (SED) THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA. INFORMATION SHOWS A DIVERSE AND CHALLENGED POPULATION. US CENSUS QUICK FACTS 2019 FOR NORTH CAROLINA INDICATES AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF OVER 10,488,084. THERE ARE 48.6% MALES AND 51.4% FEMALES IN NC. AGE: 5.8% WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 5 YEARS AND 21.9% UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS. NC IS A CULTURALLY DIVERSE STATE. THE NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH, JULY 2020 REPORT ESTIMATES THAT 12% (234,045) OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (1 IN 9) AGES 3-17 IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE LIVING WITH SED. 81% OF NC RESIDENTS THINK THAT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION IN THE STATE, 19% OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE REPORTED EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, 57% EXPERIENCED FAMILY REJECTION, AND 19% REPORTED BEING REFUSED MEDICAL CARE, ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THE TYPES OF STRESSORS EXPERIENCED BY OTHER MINORITIES THAT FACE DISCRIMINATION. LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS ARE ALMOST 3 TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION LIKE MAJOR DEPRESSION OR GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER. YOUTH HEALTH DISPARITIES 2018 REPORT STATES THAT 7 IN 10 LGBTQ+ STUDENTS ARE HARASSED IN SCHOOLS, 1 IN 5 ATTEMPT SUICIDE, 1 IN 5 WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AND NEARLY 20 % REPORTED UNDERAGE HOMELESSNESS AND REFUSAL OF MEDICAL CARE. NORTH CAROLINA PROJECTS THAT 246,230 CHILDREN AND YOUTH HAVE SED. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE 1): STRENGTHEN NETWORK ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND LONGEVITY IN THE SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION ERA (MEDICAID, JUVENILE JUSTICE, CHILD WELFARE). 2): PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, TO FOSTER LEADERSHIP SKILLS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE STANDARD AND TAILORED PLANS WITHIN THE UPCOMING IMPLEMENTATION OF MEDICAID TRANSFORMATION. 3): PROMOTE PEER-SUPPORT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SED IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE FAMILY AND YOUTH DRIVEN AND THE STATE IS FREE OF STIGMA AND BULLYING.4): INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF YOUTH LEADERS WITHIN FAMILIES UNITED TO SUSTAIN AND GROW YOUTHMOVE NC. OBJECTIVES: PROMOTE INCREASE IN AWARENESS AND SUPPORT THROUGH AN ARRAY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION, SUPPORT, AND RESOURCES RELATING TO SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION, SED AND THE PROMOTION OF PEER SUPPORT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL SERVE 18,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH ANNUALLY AND 54,000 WITHIN THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT.