Sunday, November 24, 2024
11/24/2024
Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana (VOASELA) proposes a National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative-Category III (NCTSI-III) according to SM-21-010 requirements to increase access to effective trauma-focused treatment and services for children and adolescents ages six-18, and their families, who experience traumatic events specifically from exposure to violent crimes; domestic violence/substance abuse, and parent incarceration. Within this population, are youth of active military/veterans and those in child-serving systems (child-welfare and protective services, juvenile justice). The project will focus on service delivery within dual parishes of Greater New Orleans (GNO)—Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish. Both parishes have at least a 20% youth population under age 18 living in parish communities with nearly 25% household poverty and among extreme neighborhood violence and crime--so extreme, that 98% of the nation’s cities are safer than GNO. Sixty-percent (60%) of youth are victims of or witnesses to physical or sexual, school, and/or neighborhood violence; nearly 40% have experienced one form of violence, and another 10% have experienced an excess of five instances of violence. Without intervention, this exposure to violence predisposes youth to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and child-trauma reactions. To mitigate the prevalence of child trauma in GNO, VOASELA will serve 300 youth over the grant period, (Y1=36; Y2=76; Y3=76; Y4=76; Y5=36), through the implementation of (1) a public awareness campaign for in-person community engagement (abiding COVID-19 precautions) and virtual communication with a strong presence on social media platforms and hosting community forums; (2) collaboration with a NCTSI-II TSA to provide consultation and staff training on evidence-based (EB) Trauma-Informed-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CF-CBT); (3) case management and therapeutic services using EB screening/assessment tools and clinical treatment plans with CF-CBT methodology; (4) support for child-serving agencies to identify youth with trauma-reactions and provide linkage to treatment/services, and engage key agency representatives to collaborate on policies to reduce violence and disparities affecting child and adolescent mental health; and (5) partner with experienced researchers (evaluators) to study the NCTSI-III proposed project effectiveness through a well-designed process and outcome evaluation. VOASELA respectfully requests SAMHSA funding for $2,000,000 to implement the five-year proposed NCTSI-III project to improve access for marginalized children, adolescents, and their families to EB trauma-focused treatment/services.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
