$105,500 will be awarded to Sound Mental Health for ‘behavioral health’ services
SEATTLE – July 15, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, Mayor Mike McGinn announced the award of $105,500 to Sound Mental Health for behavioral health services to homeless families with young children.
“This new funding will help homeless children who have experienced the trauma of homelessness,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “Research has shown that children who are homeless can suffer significant emotional distress and behavioral issues related to unstable living conditions.”
The Seattle Human Services Department, which administers the program, received three applications totaling $292,066 in requested funds through a Request for Qualifications process.
Sound Mental Health will receive a total of $105,500: $38,500 in 2013 and $67,000 in 2014. The funding will expand a pilot project developed by the Human Services Department for early intervention services for young homeless children with moderate or severe behavioral or emotional issues related to homelessness. The pilot project will continue at Solid Ground’s Broadview Transitional Housing Program in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle.
The new funding will provide strength-based, family-focused and trauma-informed services to an additional 14-16 children from birth to age 12 and their families. The services will include mental health assessment and therapeutic services weekly at Broadview or at the children’s schools or child care settings. For infants and toddlers, ages birth to 35 months old, parent-child therapy will be provided. Siblings will be screened for behavioral health issues and will participate in children’s groups. Sound Mental Health will also provide consultation to child care/afterschool program/school staff to address children’s behavioral support needs. Solid Ground/ Broadview will continue to provide enhanced case management and systems coordination between children and families and their housing provider, teaching/child care staff and therapeutic services.
Sound Mental Health is a private nonprofit agency that has provided comprehensive mental health services since 1966. Sound Mental Health’s diverse programs include: housing services; military and veteran’s programs; criminal justice and re-entry services; employment programs; chemical dependency programs, developmentally disabled services; middle school support programs; grief and loss counseling; therapeutic and foster care services, individual, group and family counseling, and programs for the deaf.
Contact:
Robert Cruickshank (206) 849-9584
Aaron Pickus (206) 684-4000
