Three community organizations and a federally qualified health center (FQHC) each received a $40,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare to improve and expand behavioral health programs, address mental and emotional issues, and reduce substance-abuse among Delaware teens. Darrin Johnson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Delaware, presented the grants to the following organizations:
– Foundation for a Better Tomorrow, for its Signs of Suicide (S.O.S.) program, which provides training for Delaware middle- and high-school staff on the signs and symptoms of depression, self-injury and suicidality to open a dialogue about mental illness and identify at-risk teens.
– Henrietta Johnson Medical Center (FQHC), for its Healthy Mental Health social and traditional media campaign, in partnership with Delaware Futures 27, Inc., aimed at reducing the stigma associated with behavioral health issues among youth ages 12-21.
– Mental Health Association in Delaware, for its Suicide Prevention Education program that offers training and education for students and the community reaching parents at schools, nonprofits, health care centers, businesses, churches and government agencies.
– One Village Alliance, for its “Raising Kings” and “Girls Can Do Anything” gender-specific programs designed to ameliorate trauma and mental health issues facing at-risk girls and boys.
The donations were given during special check-presentation ceremonies at the Boys and Girls Club in Seaford, Dover Library and Wilmington Police Athletic League (PAL) Center. UnitedHealthcare created the grant program with input from organizations that serve Delaware teens during two community forums in Newark and Dover last year.
UnitedHealthcare staff and more than 30 representatives from local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, FQHCs and state agencies discussed sources, barriers and strategies for addressing teen behavioral health issues.
According to a 2013 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in early 2012, 11 youths in Kent and Sussex counties took their own lives, more than twice the region’s yearly average; 116 others in those two counties attempted suicide during the same period. According to the 2014 America’s Health Rankings®, Delaware ranked 22nd in “poor mental health,” in which people limited their day-to-day activities due to mental health issues.
“Delaware teens face a growing number of pressures that can lead to serious behavioral health issues, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide,” said Johnson. “It is often difficult for adults to recognize serious mental and emotional issues in teens, and many young people don’t know where to turn for help. That’s why UnitedHealthcare is supporting programs that reach out to teens in a way that is nonjudgmental, promotes empathy and connects with them on their level.”
