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The Wellbeing Partners
6001 Dodge St. Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center Room 228 Omaha, NE 68182
https://thewellbeingpartners.org/
https://www.facebook.com/thewellbeingpartners/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wellbeing-partners/ https://www.instagram.com/thewellbeingpartners/?hl=en
Aja Anderson
CEO
ajaa@thewellbeingpartners.org
+1 (402) 980-7445
Yes
Sheena Helgenberger Director of Community, Innovation, & Advocacy – Oversight and Implementation of Community Strategies; Coaching and Supervising Team; Relationship Building; Evaluation; Manage Community Wellbeing; Fundraising Support. Sheena Helgenberger Director of Community, Innovation, & Advocacy – Oversight and Implementation of Community Strategies; Coaching and Supervising Team; Relationship Building; Evaluation; Manage Community Wellbeing; Fundraising Support. Claire Brown Child and Family Wellbeing Coordinator - Implements Youth Wellness Tactics within Community Programs; Creates Content and Assets; Presents at Local Partner Meetings; Engages Schools and Youth Serving Leaders; Promotes Tools and Resources. Trained youth mental health first aid facilitator. Claire Brown Child and Family Wellbeing Coordinator - Implements Youth Wellness Tactics within Community Programs; Creates Content and Assets; Presents at Local Partner Meetings; Engages Schools and Youth Serving Leaders; Promotes Tools and Resources. Trained youth mental health first aid facilitator.
Organizational chart included at the end of application.
The Wellbeing Partners (TWP) has prioritized mental health within its strategic plan approved by the Board in March of 2021 as a signature issue area to serve in every facet of the organization through the lens of the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. By implementing mental wellbeing prevention strategies in workplace, community, and social support settings, TWP aims to increase access to mental health supports and reduce mental health stigma. TWP has demonstrated success in reducing mental health stigma through its WhatMakesUs campaign. In the campaign’s first year, the campaign was able to achieve a 10.3% reduction in stigma across the region, slightly exceeding the goal. The reduction in stigma was achieved through contact-based and education-based strategies such as word-of-mouth story recruiting, and the use of social media to share facts about mental health. Upon formal evaluation, data collected showed that compared to those who were not campaign aware, campaign aware respondents reported more willingness to be close with a person with a mental health condition and reported fewer stigmatizing attitudes towards people with a mental health condition. Further, when compared to those who are not campaign aware, campaign aware respondents had an increased confidence and comfort supporting someone experiencing a mental health condition and were more likely to have supported someone with a mental health condition in the past six months. Through TWP’s Head to Heart Harambee Project in collaboration with The Center for Holistic Development, an advisory group of barbers and stylists were convened to discuss client encounters with mental health issues, how they can be of assistance while providing services, and the potential opportunities to provide training equipping each barber/stylist with the education and tools to support the mental health of their clients. Participants were passionate and committed to acquiring resources, tools, and techniques to be mental health supports. Participant training will begin in October. The proposed program will serve as an extension of the Head to Heart Program with a youth focus.
Head to Heart for Youth
228397.0
209198.0
Service/program
Mental wellbeing is at the root of health and impacts our community including its youth. According to the 2021 Child & Adolescent Health Needs Assessment 9.6% of Metro Area parents believe that their school-age child’s mental health is “fair” or “poor” (CAHNA, 43). This data is unfavorably high among respondents in Northeast Omaha and reported more often among parents of teens, those living on lower incomes, and parents of Black children. Awareness of mental health resources is lowest among Southeast Omaha respondents and is reported less often among low-income households, parents of Hispanic children, and parents of Black children (CAHNA, 185). The proposed program aims to increase access to mental health support for North and South Omaha youth and contribute to a sustainable community through mental health education and employment support. TWP seeks to train 140 youth-serving adults in youth mental health first aid (YMHFA) by 2025. YMHFA is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Additionally, this proposal seeks to aid employment through financial support for professional licensing and certification for adults desiring to/currently working with youth. Furthermore, participants will be provided with the opportunity to become a certified trainer of the YMHFA curriculum. This then allows those people the opportunity to make an income by offering YMHFA training to other community members and organizations.
Activity Target Date Hire TWP mental wellbeing coordinator Spring 2023 Schedule trainings (3)-2023 (3)-2024 (1)-2025) Summer 2023/2024 Recruit participants Fall/Winter/Spring 2023/2024 Conduct trainings Fall/Winter/Spring 2023/2024/2025 YMHFA train the trainer course Spring 2023/2024/2025 Business consulting Spring/Summer 2023/2024/2025
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Sustainable Community (i.e., create or enhance housing, services, education, civic uses, recreation, etc.)
This proposal aims to contribute to a sustainable community through mental health education and employment support. TWP seeks to train 140 youth-serving adults in youth mental health first aid (YMHFA). YMHFA is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Mental health education and training is important to provide in our community as we know that one in five youth will experience a mental health challenge at some point during their life, and the adults in their lives can relate. About half of adults across the metro region have experienced a mental health condition. Adults in professional or volunteer roles that support or serve youth (such as barbers/hair stylists, athletic coaches, healthcare workers, and educators) located in the qualified census tracts qualify for participation in this project. In exchange for their completion of YMHFA, TWP will provide a stipend at $15/hour to adults who achieve YMHFA certification and provide up to $500 of financial assistance (if relevant) toward their professional license fee, license renewal fee, home salon application fee, etc. To make this a more sustainable effort to address mental health, TWP will offer 10 people who complete the YMHFA training the opportunity to become a certified trainer of the YMHFA curriculum. This then supports employment by creating an opportunity for additional income by offering YMHFA training to other community members and organizations. Certified YMHFA trainers create market and coordinate classes while supporting learners along the way. Instructors teach from a national curriculum, tailor discussions to their participants and compile a list of local resources for help. To ensure the success of these 10 people, TWP will connect them with a business consultant for 6 hours of coaching to help them get started on their business plan.
A theme that emerged in the visioning workshop: need access and tools to leverage community resources. This project gives 140 community members the opportunity to enhance their education by providing them with YMHFA training. During the training, the adults will have the opportunity to network, which is important as we know that being connected community is key to feeling a sense of belonging. These individuals then become mental health advocates who are quipped to promote the wellbeing of youth and pass on accurate information about mental health to others. Further, for the 10 people who become a certified trainer of the YMHFA curriculum, they can make an income by offering YMHFA training to other community members and organizations, expanding the reach of mental health first aid into the region.
LB 1024 calls for resources to contribute to the economic impact of North and South Omaha by way of job training and business development. For the 140 adults who get trained in YMHFA, they walk away with a certificate of completion to add to their resume and overall skillset. Participants will also be compensated for any time spent on training and development during YMHFA. If relevant, participants will also obtain role specific licensure and/or certification with financial assistance.
One permanent part-time position at a salary of $35,000 annually will be created.
The proposed program supports employment for 140 individuals working with youth and 1 part-time position for employment with TWP. 10 permanent jobs will be created for those trained and certified as YMHFA trainers. These jobs have both part-time and full-time potential.
For the 10 people who become a certified trainer of the YMHFA curriculum, as paid trainers, these individuals will have additional reasons to stay working and living in the area. These trainers must create, market and coordinate their classes while supporting their learners along the way. To ensure the success of these 10 people, TWP will connect them with a business consultant for 6 hours of coaching to help them get started on their business plan.
This project provides relevant training to help adults work better with and serve youth in our community while also supporting employment. Completion of YMHFA equips people with tools and techniques to foster mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, it aids the ability of adults to identify and reach out to youth who may be struggling with mental health conditions or substance use disorders. By training members of our community, we diversify the economy and support employment; we foster an environment where people of all ages can thrive and reach their fullest potential, improving the local neighborhood. YMHFA not only helps adults identify signs and symptoms, but also teaches them to connect youth to resources that are readily available in our community and provides an additional resource for youth. Additionally, by providing an opportunity to become a certified trainer in YMHFA, TWP helps grow the network of adults trained on YMHFA which can help towards reducing the stigma around mental health in our community and better equip people to deal with a mental health crisis.
This proposal contributes to community sustainability by enhancing quality of life and the economy. It is important to highlight that in our community, many of our neighbors have known someone or they themselves have experienced a mental health challenge. By equipping people with the tools and resources they need to support the youth in their lives, we are building a network of caring adults in our community and working towards reducing the stigma of mental health. Additionally, by providing economic support to pay for professional license fees and offering participants the chance to become a certified trainer, we aid people who want to start their own business or grow in their careers.
YMHFA is an international training with its own evaluation tools. Mental Health First Aid was created in Australia in 2001 by Betty Kitchener, a nurse specializing in health education, and Tony Jorm, a respected mental health literacy professor. The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it does build mental health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness. Peer reviewed studies from Australia and across the globe show that the program saves lives, improves the mental health of the individual administering care and the one receiving it, expands knowledge of mental illnesses and their treatments, increases the services provided, and reduces overall social distance toward individuals with mental illnesses by improving mental health literacy. One trial of 301 randomized participants found that those who trained in Mental Health First Aid have greater confidence in providing help to others, greater likelihood of advising people to seek professional help, improved concordance with health professionals about treatments, and decreased stigmatizing attitudes. By offering 10 participants the opportunity to become a certified YMHFA trainer, TWP is ensuring that mental health education in the region continues while supporting those individuals to make additional income. Certified YMHFA trainers create, market and coordinate their classes while supporting their learners along the way. To ensure the success of these 10 people, TWP will connect them with a business consultant for 6 hours of coaching to help them get started on their business plan. This added component only increases their likelihood of sustainability as a trainer.
People trained on Youth Mental Health First Aid will: Grow their knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions. Can identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental health or substance use challenge. Increase their confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress. Show increased mental wellness themselves. People who become a certified YMHFA trainer will have improved wages as they train others in the community and charge a fee per participant Awareness of mental health resources will increase among Southeast and Northeast Omaha parents as reported in the 2024 Child and Adolescent Health Needs Assessment.
The YMHFA training encompasses pre- and post- evaluations, which are made and administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The results are made available to the trainer post-training. Improved wages for the newly certified trainers will be measured by quarterly check-ins by TWP made via phone and email. 2024 CAHNA will show an increase from (62% SE, 70% NE) in awareness of mental health resources among Southeast and Northeast Omaha parents.
Yes
Partnership around mental health is an established part of TWP’s work. TWP serves as the catalyst and lead facilitator of the Metro Region Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to prioritize mental health. Last October, TWP hosted a virtual session to release and discuss the 2021 Community Health Assessment (CHA) data, including mental health data. 94 were in attendance representing organizations and the community. TWP then updated and released a 2020-2022 Metro Region CHIP progress report in March 2022. Collective support for mental health remains a high need, so TWP convenes monthly leadership meetings (TWP and the health dept. Leaders in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass in Nebraska and Pottawattamie in Iowa), as well as a quarterly gathering of health systems and Federally Qualified Health Centers, and a quarterly roundtable with community organizations. Prospective partners include but are not limited to youth serving agencies such as little league sports teams, local colleges and universities, YMCA, Omaha Public Schools, NorthStar, Girls Inc., and the Kroc Center. All partners will be invited to help promote the YMHFA training to community members across the region. Outcomes and lessons learned through this project will be reported in the 2023-25 CHIP on mental health.
No
TWP is located at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) on the UNO campus at 6001 Dodge Street, Suite 228, Omaha, NE 68182. The CEC is a one-of-a-kind place, designed to combine great ideas and organizations with the boundless energy of the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) campus. The facility houses several nonprofit and community serving organizations providing an opportunity for innovative partnerships and collaborative programs. Every day, in our meeting rooms, hallways, and building partner offices, people build mutually beneficial collaborations and find creative ways to make a difference in our community.
Within one or more QCTs
TWP will recruit adults who live and/or work and host YMHFA trainings in the following Census tracts: 29,27,31,32,26,33,20,24,22,19,39,38,40,42,50,49,51,16,52,53,11,2,8,7,59.02,59.01,54,58,4,6,61.02,60,63.03,63.02,3,61.01,65.06.
No
No
No
No
No
No
$209,198 is being requested to implement this program. This covers salaries and wages, training cost, meeting logistics, printing supplies and materials, stipends, translation and interpretation, childcare, mileage and travel, marketing and promotions, employment support and indirect cost. A line-by-line breakdown and rationale for our budget can be found below. Salaries & Wages - Hire a PT TWP person to handle project logistics and deliver YMHFA training = $35,000 Training Cost - Train-the-trainer in a YMHFA course = $2,000 (10 persons + 3 TWP staff members) = $26,000, Cost per person for YMHFA training (140 x $25) = $3,500, Meeting logistics - Meeting space rental fees (7 locations at $250/location) = $1,750. Meals and refreshments ($15pp x 140)- $2100. Printing, supplies & materials -Training book for participants (140 persons at $20/book) = $2,800. Participant processing guide (140 x $10/book) = $1,400 Stipends - Gift cards for YMHFA completion (140/people x $15/hour x 8 hours) = $16,800 Translation/Interpretation -Training interpretation and material translation ($60ph x56 hours) =$3,360 Childcare- Child care for participant dependents during training ($20ph x 8hours x 7 trainings) = $1,120 Background checks for childcare staff ($50pp x 7 = $350) Mileage and Travel - Travel within North and South Omaha 15miles per recruitment effort (14) & training (7) ($.62.5 x 315 miles) = $200.00 Marketing & promotions - Marketing/promotional materials to recruit for training. ($1,000 x 7) =$7,000 Employment support -Licensing fees/registration fees (up to $500/person = if needed - for 140 persons) = $70,000 Business consulting- Business consulting for the 10 trainers (10 trainers x 6 hours of consulting at $300/hr) = $18,000 Indirect - 10%
These grant funds will primarily be distributed and invested in our community members interested in becoming certified in YMHFA and provide funds that would support 10 community members in becoming certified YMHFA trainers themselves. Additionally, these funds would also support the licensing/registration fees of those who attend and become certified in YMHFA.
Yes
By providing this initial investment, this program will be fiscally sustainable. At least 10 people will become certified as YMHFA trainers, allowing them to build a business contributing to our local economy and training additional mental health supports. Additionally, the skills and tools learned in the training are replicable and can be learned by others in the community.
TWP currently receives funding from the Sherwood Foundation to support the pilot Head to Heart Project. This funding supports work with adults serving adults and youth in barber and beauty salons. This work is supported through 2024 through this funding source. TWP intends to apply for additional funding in 2023 from sources such as The Omaha Community Foundation (Building Healthy Futures) and the Hawks Foundation.
Training cost, printing supplies and materials, translation and interpretation, employment support.
Yes
The number of participants trained in YMHFA can be scaled down resulting in other areas such as printing supplies and materials, and employment support scaling down as well. In addition, the number of participants receiving train-the-trainer certification can also be scaled down.
TWP commits the in-kind time of its CEO to oversee the proposed project. In addition, the time of the Director of Community, Innovation and Advocacy to manage staff leading this project and both the North and South Omaha Community Wellbeing Specialist who will carry out the program alongside the Mental Wellbeing Coordinator. These in-kind financial contributions amount to $19,200.
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Organizational Chart Proposal Budget/Sources and Uses Schedule