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Like many cities across the country, Sacramento, Calif., is grappling with an affordable-housing crisis notes Jessika Maria Ross, writing for Current. We’ve had the fastest rising rents in the nation for two years in a row. We have record-high home prices, a skyrocketing homeless population, and intensifying gentrification and displacement. We also have many neighborhoods of color that for years have been overlooked due to historic housing policies and a lack of economic opportunity.

In other words, residents from all walks of life in Sacramento are affected by the shortage of affordable housing, just in different ways. But there isn’t a place where this diverse range of community members can come together and find common ground.

Capital Public Radio, where Ross works as senior community engagement strategist, responded to the crisis by spending the past year digging into the history, politics and economics of housing affordability in California’s capital. We produced TheView From Here: Place And Privilege, an eight-part podcast, hourlong radio documentary and online community platform.

To go beyond sharing content on-air and online, CapRadio tried something different. Ross organized “Story Circles” that brought wildly diverse residents face to face in intimate settings to talk about housing, hear one another and envision the way forward. It was an experiment in deep listening, radical hospitality and bridge-building. The results were astounding.

A Story Circle is pretty much what it sounds like — a group of people sitting together and sharing personal experiences on a theme guided by a facilitator. In CapRadio’s Story Circles, Ross invited participants to tell a story about when having a home made a difference in their lives.

This deceptively simple process opened participants up to each other’s struggles, fears, and dreams, creating an emotional intimacy and social bonding among people who usually wouldn’t be in the same room. Afterwards, group members explored what they heard and what it means. By the end, people saw both real differences and things their stories had in common. Most of all, they’d met people with different opinions, listened generously to their viewpoints and left with new insights.

One participant summed it up this way: “I’m coming away tonight with a more complete picture of Sacramento’s housing crisis because, frankly, there are a lot of people — people who experience homelessness, for example — that I don’t come in contact with in my daily life. And … hearing their stories and learning their struggles is, I think, a very important aspect that I didn’t have enough of before tonight.”

Designing for diversity

CapRadio partnered with 12 community organizations to co-host six Story Circles. Ross designed these events so that each gathering included residents with very different life experiences and perspectives on housing. Community partners brought homeless and low-income renters, social-service providers, activists who are people of color, affordable-housing advocates and developers to the gatherings.

CapRadio brought affluent, white homeowners — representative of their core audience — by marketing the events on-air and via our social media channels. Ross also recruited millennials from the regional YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) group, business leaders, local government staffers and building-industry executives to participate in the Story Circles. We held these gatherings at affordable-housing complexes, community centers and public schools in low-income neighborhoods throughout Sacramento.

Story Circle groups were kept small to promote intimacy and honest storytelling. Chairs were set up in a circle with flowers and candles at the center to spark interpersonal engagement and convey a beautiful and inviting atmosphere. (Attention to beauty, radical hospitality and intentional curation are three of Ross’ core strategies for encounter design.) CapRadio staff personally greeted guests and introduced them to others in the room as they got dinner and sat down, creating a welcoming and inclusive vibe.

The Story Circles were two-and-a-half hours long. They began with thirty minutes to mingle and share a meal, as well as an opportunity to participate in CapRadio’s storybooth: a mobile portrait studio where guests could have a professional photo taken and write down their views regarding housing and home.

During the Story Circles, participants shared, in turn, a personal story illuminating the role of housing in their lives. Then they broke into trios to discuss themes and patterns. The full group reconvened to identify insights, epiphanies and action steps. To close, Ross recorded audio of participants reflecting on what they took away from the experience, and each completed a brief, anonymous survey. Everyone was offered a flower from the bouquet and mobile phone wallets with personalized thank-you cards tucked inside as gifts.

Story Circles was staffed with four people: a community partner, Ross, and two CapRadio community engagement interns. All participated in setting up the events, greeting people and getting to know them. The community partner began the events with opening remarks and told the first story. Ross facilitated the circle while one intern staffed the StoryBooth and the other took notes to share back with CapRadio’s newsroom and the project evaluator. Each event cost about $400 for food, flowers, supplies and child care.

What was learned

To assess CapRadio’s Story Circle outcomes, Ross administered participant surveys, recorded reflections and observed while Lindsay Green-Barber of Impact Architects interviewed community partners and analyzed the data. Here’s what was discovered:

• 82 percent of participants said they met people with whom they wouldn’t normally connect and heard diverse perspectives and life experiences.
• 83 percent reported an increased awareness about local housing challenges, the root causes of the crisis and potential solutions.
• 83 percent said their empathy for others increased.
• 89 percent said they planned to talk to friends and family about the stories they had heard, the issues and solutions.
• 91 percent said they were inspired to act, which they described as staying connected with others at the event, getting involved in projects they learned about, or writing publicly elected officials.

Many participants said they appreciated the rare opportunity to explore ideas with people who are different from them. As one participant put it: “What I gained from this event was just really the multiple perspectives. I mean, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t be interacting with a lot of the folks here. I think just being put in a situation where everyone is kind of on equal footing you’re in this circle. You just kind of just chat it up. And after a few minutes it really feels like they are your neighbors or people you like.”

While each Story Circle generated unique stories based on the mix of community members present, common themes emerged across the events. The top three that Impact Architects identified included:

Commonality. Community members — whether dealing with homelessness, experiencing difficulty finding affordable housing or concerned generally about the crisis in the region — expressed surprise at the similarity of their experiences. Community members expressed a desire for more opportunities to have conversations across perceived divides in order to deepen this sense of commonality and shared humanity.

Stigma. Participants attributed society’s poor treatment of people dealing with homelessness to a lack of contact across socioeconomic lines and institutionalized racism. Community members said that society blames the individual, rather than looking at systemic factors contributing to homelessness, poverty, and inequality.

Hope and determination. Participants said that the shared sense of belonging to a greater community and the empathy and interest they saw in their neighbors during the Story Circles gave them hope that together they can tackle the challenges associated with the affordable-housing crisis in Sacramento. Community members told stories about overcoming challenges with the support of family and community, highlighting the importance of these networks.

Story Circle participants said they left with the feeling that there are solutions to the affordable housing crisis, as well as an increased sense that they could contribute to real, meaningful change. “I’m taking away hope that we can solve this problem,” one said. “… [I]t’s inspiring and encouraging to know that so many people are thinking about this. And I personally plan to get more involved, … contact public officials and … do my part more in the community than what I have.”

But this is Ross’ big takeaway: “We surround ourselves — consciously or not — with voices and views that align with our own. We need Contact Zones like CapRadio’s Story Circles that bring people together across silos to engage in meaningful conversations about pressing social issues. Designing those encounters takes effort, skill, and resources. The question is: Are public radio stations game to shift resources from their newsrooms or hustle additional funds to make it happen?

I’ve written elsewhere about Contact Zones and public radio’s unique position to create spaces for deep listening and community problem-solving. CapRadio’s experiment with Story Circles shows that we can design encounters that cause a shift towards empathy, often leading to a shared vision and collective action. These are the kind of outcomes that support democratic traditions and rebuild trust, not only among residents but also with the media institutions set up to serve them.”

For more on Story Circles, take a look at the methods pioneered by Roadside Theatre, the work of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, and this leader’s guide to hosting Story Circles on racial healing and equity produced by the Winter Institute.

Read more on Current.org.

When Nikko Briteramos was allegedly denied service at an L.A. barbershop because he is HIV positive, he decided to fight back. Not only did he file a lawsuit against the owner of the shop, but he also became the face of a new public education campaign, “Cut the Stigma,” that aims to dispel myths and reduce HIV-related discrimination in Black communities.

For legal help, Briteramos reached out to Lambda Legal, a national group that advocates for the LGBT community and all people living with HIV. Lambda Legal partnered with the Black AIDS Institute, a national HIV/AIDS think tank, to launch “Cut the Stigma.”

“Black people living with HIV are often confronted with discrimination connected to stigma and misinformation in public places of importance within our community,” Phill Wilson, CEO and founder of the Black AIDS Institute, said in a press release about the campaign. “The barbershop is a sacred social space, where Black Americans debate social, cultural and political ideas. HIV discrimination destroys those safe spaces.”

As part of the campaign, the Black AIDS Institute will engage barbers across the country in issues about HIV discrimination and education. The campaign also includes a video featuring Briteramos (watch the video).

“If you’re not accepted at the barbershop, it’s like not being accepted at a party or in a club,” Briteramos explains in the video.

Briteramos understands firsthand the dangers of stigma and misinformation. He was previously incarcerated under HIV criminalization laws in South Dakota. Now 34, he has been living with HIV since he was 19.

“I dream that this [barbershop] case is going to provoke people to address these issues they don’t like to talk about,” he says in the video.

In the press release, Scott Schoettes, counsel and HIV project director at Lambda Legal, says: “The facts of this case, as well as the legal claims, are pretty straightforward: the owner of King of Kuts in Leimert Park refused to cut Nikko’s hair because he is living with HIV, in clear violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as the California Unruh Civil Rights Act.

“While we work within the legal system to remedy the dignitary harms Nikko suffered as a result of this discriminatory encounter, we are also partnering with the Black AIDS Institute to engage with Black communities nationally to do some critically important public education to prevent such discrimination from happening in the first place.”

Read more and watch the Cut The Stigma video on POZ.com.

The following was written by and from the perspective of Dr. Joshua Gordon, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Disparities in mental health play outsized roles in our society. People from racial and ethnic minority populations, as well as those from lower socioeconomic strata, and those who live in rural communities, are less likely to have access to mental health care and more likely to receive lower quality care. There have been recent investments in community mental health centers and the expansion of Medicaid, but more work is needed to eliminate these disparities. To address mental health disparities, we need to identify and understand the contributing factors and study the efficacy of programs to remedy them. In recognition of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, I am highlighting this important element of NIMH’s research portfolio.

From causes to effects

In some ways, addressing disparities in the mental health system should start with the basics—and by that, I mean basic science. In our search for the roots of mental illnesses, an area that has made great progress over the past five years is genetics. As I have written about before, we now know hundreds of places in the genome where genetic variation raises the risk for psychiatric disorders. While we can be justifiably proud of these successes, we must also acknowledge a serious shortcoming—historically, the vast majority of the subjects in these genetic studies were of European ancestry, and it is therefore unclear how much these discoveries will benefit the majority of people of differing ethnicities.

Emerging data from an NIMH-funded study of the genetics of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for which our Psychiatric Genetics Consortium made a concerted effort to include studies with participants from the African American community, illustrates the importance of recruiting subjects from diverse genetic backgrounds. This analysis, which combined data across 11 multiethnic studies, revealed strong heritability and overlap between the genetics of PTSD and that of schizophrenia.  These were interesting scientific findings—but limited in that they only applied to the Caucasian participants. It turned out that the genetics of the African American sample set was much more complex and varied than in Caucasians, so even though the researchers had included data from a large number of African American participants, there were still too little data to provide information on disease heritability with respect to African genetic ancestries. These and other data point to the need to increase the recruitment of individuals of African descent in our psychiatric genetics studies, as we are doing with NIMH’s component of the NIH-wide H3Africa program, a collaborative effort to enroll large numbers of individuals from sub-Saharan Africa in genetic studies of schizophrenia, as well as an NIMH-supported effort to increase the diversity in genetic studies of autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Like the causes, the consequences of mental illnesses differ for minorities as well. Nowhere is this more evident than for one of the most devastating effects of mental illnesses: suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of suicide vary significantly by race/ethnicity (see figure). In particular, individuals from American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities die from suicide at significantly higher rates than whites or other racial or ethnic minorities—the suicide rate for AI/AN youths is especially alarming, being over 3.5 times higher than those among racial/ethnic groups with the lowest rates. To address this devastating issue, the NIMH, in partnership with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), funds three collaborative research “hubs” that bring together academics, tribal leaders, and peers. These partnerships aim to build capacity for research in AI/AN communities; to determine what factors lead to this increase in suicide risk; to develop and tailor treatments that work in these communities; and, to learn how to implement these strategies using novel approaches and technologies suited to the unique needs of AI/AN communities.

In addition to supporting these research hubs, the NIMH has participated along with other federal partners in the Arctic Council’s RISING SUN initiative, aimed at reducing the incidence of suicide in indigenous groups living in the far northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. A major output of this effort is the RISING SUN toolkit, which aims to help clinicians, communities, policymakers, and researchers measure the impact and effectiveness of suicide prevention efforts in rural and tribal communities.

Understanding differences in treatment effects

The good news is there are treatments that work, even if they don’t always work for everyone. Recent research has shown, however, that paying attention to differences in treatment responses in specific groups can help make our treatments work better. Including diverse groups in research can also reveal why there are differences in treatment effects. A case in point: an NIMH-funded study published just last year showed one way to improve the effectiveness of depression and anxiety treatment in Hispanic youth. Scientists were studying two alternative methods of delivering treatment to adolescents suffering from anxiety and depression in primary care settings: one, an “assisted referral to care” method that helped patients get care at an outpatient mental health center, and the other, a “brief behavioral therapy” delivered in the primary care setting itself.

The results of the trial showed that in the non-Hispanic group, children generally did better with the therapy delivered in the primary care setting, with about 50 percent of children responding to the treatment compared to 30 percent who received assisted referral care. 

But this difference in efficacy was even more dramatic in Hispanic children. Nearly 80 percent of Hispanic children responded to the brief behavioral therapy delivered in a primary care setting, while less than 10 percent of these children responded to treatment delivered through assisted referral. These data demonstrate that delivering care to Hispanic children may be better off done in primary care offices than through specialty mental health care settings.

Of course, most mental health disparities are not so easily addressed. In particular, we need to know more about the “whys” behind these disparities, so that we can begin to design strategies to remedy them. An ongoing NIMH-supported study is examining the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids on depression in the elderly. Early results from the study suggest that the effects of these supplements vary with ethnicity. The scientists are using the second phase of the study to try to ask why. Do individuals from different ethnic backgrounds absorb these substances differently? Do they have different metabolic responses to the supplements? That study is examining biological factors contributing to mental health disparities; other NIMH-supported efforts focus on psychosocial factors such as the impact of race-related violence exposure on mental health, or the environmental and social factors behind elevated rates of depression in minorities.

Finally, we must acknowledge that disparities in access to care arise from workforce issues as well. The distribution of psychiatrists and other mental health care professionals is skewed heavily towards urban areas. Rural areas, and areas with many residents of lower socioeconomic classes, are particularly underserved. NIMH supports several studies aimed at understanding the precise distribution of the mental health workforce in relation to its needs, the impact of this distribution on minorities and others in underserved communities, and potential remedies, including the use of task-shifting and telepsychiatry approaches.

The future of disparities research at NIMH

NIMH recognizes a unique and compelling need to reduce and eliminate mental health disparities in communities across the nation. Measuring, monitoring, understanding, and reducing mental health disparities that disproportionately affect minority communities are priorities of the NIMH. In keeping with our focus on high-quality, impactful science, we particularly want to expand opportunities for performing cutting-edge research in mental health disparities targeting underserved groups. We believe that increased focus on approaches such as big data, deep phenotyping, tailored therapies, personalized medicine, and rigorous implementation science will help meet the challenges imposed by mental health disparities.

One of the most important things we can do to understand the sources of these differences is to promote diversity in research, both in those who participate in clinical research and those conducting the research. Innovative approaches aiming to solve problems that contribute to mental health disparities will pave the way toward equitable and appropriate care for all individuals.

Read more on NIMH.NIH.gov.

“We stopped keeping statistics on the number of Native moms and babies that are lost in our region; it was just too upsetting,” said Millicent Simenson, co-founder of Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming.

In light of growing awareness of the negative impact of institutional racism on health for women of color, especially Black women, a new analysis argues the experience of Native American women closely parallels that of African American women. An emerging community-centered and culturally-relevant response is offering families hope amid staggering rates of maternal and infant mortality.

Mewinzha is a Native American holistic care center for pregnant, birthing moms and their families in Bemidji, Minnesota. Simenson, of the Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara tribes, and her partner at Mewinzha, Roberta Decker of the Leech Lake Ojibwe tribe—both licensed nurses with extensive experience working in mainstream health care—offer childbirth, breastfeeding education, and doula training for both Native and non-Native people. They also serve as volunteer doulas as time permits.

“Even though we don’t get any referrals from mainstream health care, we continue to do the work because Native people are asking for it, and we think it helps,” Simenson said.

Released recently, the analysis from the Center for American Progress includes data supporting Simenson’s observations. The analysis, titled “American Indian and Alaska Native Maternal and Infant Mortality: Challenges and Opportunities,” finds that official and ad hoc practices, including traditional Native concepts of community support, are playing a critical role in improving access to health-care services.

Although health and birth and death records notoriously underreport racial classifications for Native Americans, the available data is startling.

In 2015, mortality rates for American Indians and Alaska Native babies under the age of 1 was 8.3 per 1,000 births versus white non-Hispanic babies at 4.9 deaths per one thousand births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mortality rates declined for infants of all races except for American Indians.

Native American infants are twice as likely as non-Hispanic white infants to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and are 70 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white infants to die from accidental deaths before the age of 1. Data from the Urban Health Institute collected from the organizations’ 33 nationwide health-care locations found that maternal mortality rates for Native women were 4.5 times greater than non-Hispanic white women.

Since Native Americans constitute approximately 2 percent of the U.S. population, they are frequently overlooked in public health data, according to the authors of the analysis, Lucy Truschel and Cristina Novoa. Physicians often misreport racial identity for Native Americans in medical documents. Birth and death racial data may also be inaccurate. The mother usually indicates racial identity, but some tribes may only recognize members whose fathers are Native. Also, since physicians or coroners often report racial identity for death certificates, the possibility for misidentification increases. The CDC, for instance, uses information from public health and birth and death records for its data reporting.

The CAP authors maintain that the actual rate of Native American maternal and infant death is much higher than shown by available data.

In the series “Lost Mothers,” ProPublica and National Public Radio journalists collected over 200 stories from African American mothers who overwhelmingly reported feeling devalued and disrespected by medical providers. Journalists also cited a 2010 study by Arline Geronimus, professor at the University of Michigan, who describes the cumulative physical impact of enduring stress, such as living with racism, as “weathering.” Geronimus links weathering to a broad range of health disparities, including high maternal and infant mortality rates.

Native women also bear the burdens of negative health impacts from historical trauma borne out of past federal policies supporting genocide, forced migration, and cultural erasure. Examples include forced placement on reservations, attendance at boarding schools, relocation programs moving Native peoples from home communities to cities. This premise is supported by research such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study connecting stress and the risk of developing health problems such as addiction, depression, intimate partner violence, suicide, diabetes, liver disease, and poor fetal health.

Native women may be reluctant to seek services from mainstream medical professionals; they are 2.5 times more likely to receive late or no prenatal care compared to non-Hispanic white mothers. Barriers to getting health care include lack of money and transportation to travel to facilities far from home, lack of health insurance, and fear of discrimination.

According to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, 23 percent of Native American respondents reported being discriminated against when visiting the doctor or clinic. Fifteen percent reported avoiding visiting the doctor altogether due to fear of discrimination.

“I’ve seen a lot of racism when it comes to how our women are treated by health-care professionals,” said Rebekah Dunlap, a public health-care nurse on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Minnesota. “Native people get so judged by mainstream health care professionals who don’t understand our communities or know where we’re coming from. So many of our people are living in survival mode, but doctors simply see us as non-compliant in terms of our health status,” she said. Dunlap is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe.

Simenson described her experience supporting a client during a prenatal visit at a local clinic. “She was dreading going to the clinic because of a bad previous experience. The receptionist ignored her and skipped to the next person as she waited at the desk to get her next appointment,” Simenson recalled. The client got angry and began to storm away. “I’m not going to do this anymore; I’m not going back there,” she said.

Simenson acknowledged the client’s feelings, but reminded her it was important to set up the next appointment. With Simenson’s support, the client went back and scheduled her next visit. Simenson also called the receptionist’s attention to the client’s experience. “I’m not sure I would describe the receptionist’s behavior as racially motivated, but it really doesn’t matter because the client sincerely felt that it was and wouldn’t have scheduled her next appointment because of it,” Simonsen said.

Pregnant people who use drugs may also fear going to the doctor. Use of opioids among Native Americans has skyrocketed. Native American Minnesotans were five times more likely to die of drug overdose than white Minnesotans in 2015, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, while comprising only 1.1 percent of the population in that state. In Wisconsin, Native American infants were disproportionately affected by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) compared to other ethnicities.

NAS is a set of symptoms—such as tremors, excessive crying, and diarrhea—that newborns can present with at birth if they were exposed to opioids in utero. NAS can occur if a person uses illicit drugs, prescribed medication, or even methadone or buprenorphine, medication-assisted treatments used to treat opioid-use disorder recommended for pregnant people.

A common medical practice for infants born with NAS includes separating baby and mother for 72 hours while baby is placed in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where they are treated for withdrawal symptoms. In some instances, mothers may be charged with child abuse or other crimes and/or have their babies removed from their care by government social service agencies.

Pregnant patients “seem to know which hospitals won’t separate them from their babies,” said Birdie Lyons, Family Spirit program supervisor for the Leech Lake Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota.

Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities—those providing health-care services to American Indian and Alaska Native families in the United States—in the Bemidji area refer pregnant clients to Sanford Hospital in Bemidji for birthing. According to Lyons, Sanford Hospital separates babies with withdrawal symptoms from their mothers for 72 hours.

The bonding benefits of skin-to-skin touch between mothers and babies, as well as breastfeeding newborns, outweigh the risks, according to Lyons.

Mainstream medicine’s attitudes about allowing babies with NAS to remain with mothers are changing. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends babies and moms stay together. Leading experts on the issue in the United States have noted that automatic entry into the NICU is not always the best care and, instead, practices like keeping mother and baby together and breastfeeding often result in the best treatment.

“We don’t judge them at Family Spirit,” Lyons said. “Although we’re mandated reporters, we take our clients at their word about their drug use. Our overriding concern is keeping track of the baby and mother. Some of our moms won’t seek government assistance because they’re afraid of having [their] baby taken away,” Lyons said. “But they’ll come and see us at Family Spirit because they know they can talk to us. I don’t care how addicted they are, moms don’t want to hurt their babies,” she added.

Family Spirit is a home visiting program of the John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health designed to promote health and well-being for parents and children. Family Spirit has programs in over 100 tribal communities in both urban and rural areas across the United States. In its evidence-based model, tribal communities determine the cultural aspects of the service and integrate their understanding of health. Community paraprofessionals regularly visit pregnant women and families in their homes, providing support during and after pregnancy.

“Home visiting has helped us provide services in a way that connects us to our culture and way of life; it’s something that’s always been there for us, it’s in our blood,” said Lisa Abramson of the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan Inc. The Inter-Tribal Council incorporates the Family Spirit Program in its services. “Almost all 12 of our tribal communities in Michigan do some form of home visiting for families,” Abramson said.

Young women get little education or support from doctors during their prenatal visits. “They’re given a packet to take home and read; that’s how they’re supposed to learn about their pregnancy,” noted Simenson.

“The mainstream medical culture rushes you through your appointment. You don’t get much information about preventative medicine beyond pamphlets,” Dunlap added.

Although Family Spirit provides support and education about pregnancy and child development, food budgeting, and preparation, it is the cultural and spiritual support that is most popular, according to Lyons. “People are crying out for knowledge of our Ojibwe culture, language, and spirituality,” she said.

Traditionally Ojibwe families would hold ceremonies welcoming babies to the tribe and family. Since many families may no longer know or practice their ways, Lyons organized a public Welcoming Baby Ceremony for the first time on the Leech Lake Reservation.

Tribal chairman Faron Jackson said, “The traditional practice of acknowledging the gift of a child is no longer carried out, but we are reviving it as a means to encourage the community to come together and create positive energy.”

Lyons also organizes camping trips for clients, teaching them how to gather and use traditional plants and medicines.

Other Family Spirit programs may help connect clients to traditional healers and elders who may help them learn how to make cradleboards and other cultural practices involving birth and child care.

In the discussion paper “What’s Killing our Children”—published by the National Academy of Medicine in March 2017 by Teshia G. Arambula Solomon—researchers note that family and community connectedness, spirituality, cultural identity, and other cultural norms have been found to be protective factors in improving and reducing risk factors. For instance, Nina Eusani, registered nurse and maternal child health nurse with the Family Spirit Program in Detroit, noted that the safe sleeping environment recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics closely correlates to that of the traditional Native cradleboard. The cradleboard offers a firm, simple sleeping base on which the swaddled baby rests in a supine (on the back) position. Unsafe sleeping environments with soft mattresses and excessive blankets are linked to SIDS.

Mike Carney of the Lakota Nation teaches Native fathers how to make cradleboards. Traditionally, fathers not only make cradleboards, they have designated roles in pregnancy and the birthing process, according to Carney.

Native people consider birth as a ceremony; the man may gather plant medicines for the pregnant mom and keep a fire going as the mother delivers her child, according to Carney.

Trained as a doula in the Mewinzha program, Carney assists and supports fathers. “I help them get past the giggle factor and move towards feeling more confident and less intimidated by birthing and being a father,” he said. “If we can bring our kids into this world with ceremony, I think they will have a good head start.”

Novoa, a policy analyst for early childhood policy at the Center for American Progress, explained that the organization’s goal with the analysis is “to raise awareness about the health disparities among Native American mothers and infants and create public demand for action.”

Efforts to raise awareness about the issue may be working. The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions voted on June 26 to support legislation encouraging additional research into rates of maternal death. The Maternal Health Accountability Act now heads to the full Senate.

“The passage of the bill is an important first step that will help us learn what we’re up against,” Novoa said.

For Native people supporting their community, the goal is centered around empowering birthing parents. “They say that historical trauma is in the DNA of Native peoples, but love is in there too. We need to focus on that and bring it to the surface,” Carney said.

Read more on Rewire.News.

The National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) is hosting a Virtual Roundtable to help NNED partners, especially smaller organizations, enhance their capacity to seek and secure funding. The Virtual Roundtable will take place on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST.

The virtual roundtable will feature panelists representing the funder perspective, as well as smaller and larger NNED partner organizations who have experience seeking funding.

Panelists will:

• Explore how organizations can be proactive to position themselves for funding while maintaining their organization or program mission and vision
• Consider strategic networking opportunities
• Highlight smaller foundation opportunities

In addition to a “how to” summary, panelists will discuss understanding community needs, partnering and relationship building, readiness, capacity building beyond the technical approach, and community-driven responses. NNED team members will also highlight resources on the NNED website and opportunities for NNED members to connect with other organizations on funding opportunities.

Please share this opportunity with your CFO, Development Officer, and/or Executive Director!

Register now!

Panelists:

Andre Johnson  |  President/CEO of the Detroit Recovery Project (DRP) 

The Detroit Recovery Project (DRP) is a multi-service agency that provides a wide spectrum of support services to the city’s recovery community. The agency also oversees an ex-offender program that helps returning citizens reintegrate successfully into the Detroit community, with an aim of reducing recidivism and/or relapse among this population. Since its inception in 2005, DRP has devoted more than $25 million (via federal, county and local awards) to its mission to help Detroiters who were once on the streets become drug-free and productive citizens.

Mr. Johnson has over 29 years of professional work experience, exemplifying a long-standing commitment and dedication to the field of substance abuse. Respected also for his people and negotiation skills, Mr. Johnson played an integral role in re-establishing positive relationships between adolescents and their families at the Wolverine Human Services (Detroit). Mr. Johnson was also appointed by U.S. Secretary of Health of Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) – National Advisory Council. He is a member of the Detroit-Wayne Mental Health Authority Implementation Committee, and he is a board member of the Wayne Center – an agency that provides services for the mentally ill and the developmentally disabled.

Mr. Johnson is a former faculty member for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals/Drug Court Planning Initiative of the Faculty Training Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia) and a Masters of Arts degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. Mr. Johnson is trained certified recovery coach and considered an expert in his field – he is invited frequently to present at seminars, workshops, and as a keynote or motivational speaker to not only those in recovery but youth, adults, families, and substance abuse professionals. In 2013, Mr. Johnson was the recipient of the prestigious Vernon Johnson award from Faces and Voices of Recovery, and in 2016 he was chosen as a recipient of the Champions of Change Award from President Obama.

Dalya Massachi  |  Founder of Writing for Community Success

Dalya Massachi, founder of Writing for Community Success, empowers nonprofits of all sizes to craft strategy and tactics for successful grantseeking. She has raised millions of grant dollars on a wide range of social and environmental issues, and is the award-winning author of “Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact.” In 2015 and 2016, she offered her Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program to two participant cohorts through NNEDLearn. Drawing on her 20+ years as a writer, editor, trainer, and writing coach, Dalya uses a collaborative and supportive style throughout her group and individual work. Check out Dalya’s blog and newsletter!

Dr. Rosa Gil  |  Founder, President, and CEO of Comunilife, Inc.

Comunilife, Inc., is a health and human services agency founded in 1989 to improve the quality of life and create a healthier tomorrow for New Yorkers with special needs in the Hispanic and broader community-by providing culturally competent health and human services and a continuum of affordable and supportive housing for homeless persons. Comunilife has been recognized for developing Community-Defined Best Practices for Latinos.

Dr. Gil has had a distinguished career in the fields of health, mental health, social services and higher education. She served as a Mayor’s Health Policy Advisor. She is the former Chairperson of the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, Executive Director of Woodhull Medical Center and Metropolitan Hospital, Senior Vice President of Generation and Northern Manhattan Health Network; Senior Vice President Mental Hygiene Services at the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and Executive Deputy Commissioner for Families and Children Services at the NYC Human Resources Administration.  Dr. Gil is the former University Dean for Health Sciences at the City University of New York.

Some of her accomplishments include prevention and wellness initiatives; expansion of primary care; implementation of Medicaid managed care in New York City; increased access to health insurance; creation a continuum of supportive housing for persons living with HIV/AIDS and mental illness; creation of NYC’s first Medical Respite Housing Program and the nationally recognized Life is Precious™ Program for Latina teens at-risk of suicide.  Dr. Gil has published numerous articles on mental health, ethnicity, and child welfare and gender issues.  She is the co-author of the “Maria Paradox,” the first authoritative book on self-esteem and Hispanic women.

Dr. Gil has been appointed to numerous boards, is a member of the President Carter Mental Health Taskforce, and on the Board of Trustees of EmblemHealth.  Previously, she also served as a member of the Commission of Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century (The Berger Commission), and The Minority Women Panel on Health Experts (U.S. Public Health Services).

Mr. Linwood L. Alford  |  Executive Director/Founder of Open Door Resource Center, Inc.

Mr. Alford, a disabled veteran himself, serves as Executive Director/Founder of Open Door Resource Center, Incorporated, which is a non-profit organization that’s located in Richmond Virginia, that caters to veterans and their family members. He holds a Certification in Substance Abuse Counseling, AA and BA in Human Service and over 50 other certifications in the field of Human Services.  Mr. Alford is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, the IOTA Chapter in Richmond VA, Ordained Minister and the father of an awesome son.

Carla Gibson  |  Senior Program Officer at REACH Healthcare Foundation

Carla Gibson is a Senior Program Officer at the REACH Healthcare Foundation, responsible for the development of programs and initiatives tied to the foundation’s focus on health equity across the Greater Kansas City region. Gibson joined the REACH Foundation in 2006, and since that time has provided leadership on REACH’s grant making and partnerships in the areas of cultural competency, immigrant and refugee health, trauma-informed care, mental health services and rural health improvement.

Gibson led the development and startup of a multi-funder Cultural Competency Initiative that provides technical assistance and a learning community for metro-area health and human services providers. She supported publication of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City 2015 State of Black and Latino Kansas City report that examined the health, and financial and social well-being of black and Latino residents of Kansas City. Gibson also funded the 18th National White Privilege Conference held in Kansas City in 2016, and served as chair of the host committee for the conference, which drew 2,000 people. More recently, Gibson supported a workshop series on immigrant and refugee health and mental health that laid the groundwork for a new learning network, Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees.

Gibson has been active on numerous boards and councils aimed at strengthening knowledge and action around diversity, inclusion and cultural competency. She served as Chair of the National Office of Minority Health Region VII Heartland Regional Health Equity Council (RHEC), and chaired the RHEC VII Health Equity Committee. Gibson chairs the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Behavioral Health Action Team, which developed the Healthy KC metropolitan area trauma initiative, and serves on the GKC Chamber’s Diverse Business Committee. She also is a member of the board of the Greater Lee’s Summit Health Care Foundation.

Among her recognitions, Gibson received the Cross-Cultural Leadership Award from the Institute for International Medicine in 2012, was named a “Health Hero” by the Black Health Care Coalition of Greater Kansas City, and received the “Soul of the City” Award from Communities Creating Opportunity in 2016. Gibson continues to seek ways to bring regional attention to health equity, diversity and inclusion, such as through support of Project Equality’s annual summit and support the UMKC Women of Color Conference and other professional development programs.

Inside this story:

• African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious mental health problems than non-Hispanic whites.
• African Americans consistently receive lower-quality and culturally incompetent mental health care, and frequently turn to spiritual advisors and circles to fill the gap.
• God’s Way Christian Baptist Church is one of 11 faith-based organizations funded through the Hogg Foundation’s Faith-Based Initiative for African American Mental Heath Education, which aims to build on the unique strengths of churches and faith-based organizations in African American communities to educate about mental health.
• God’s Way’s Wellness and Empowerment Community Ministries provides a welcoming and inclusive space for congregants to engage in dialogue around mental health, and has created a positive ripple effect, enhancing overall community well-being.

For more than 12 years, Eugenia Kleinpeter endured an uphill climb as she attempted to locate mental health services for her children. It’s a struggle African Americans living in rural Texas know all too well.

Even though the proportion of African Americans living with mental health conditions is comparable with that of the general population, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that African Americans consistently receive lower-quality and culturally incompetent mental health care. This contributes to the greater severity of mental health issues among African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites.

For years, Eugenia sought the right kind of support for her eldest son Greg, who, like four of his younger siblings, has special needs. As a child, he not only lacked adequate assistance for his speech impediment, but also had to stomach stigma from strangers and peers—even fellow churchgoers. “At church, my kids basically hung around me,” said Eugenia. “There was a lot of rejection—a lot of people keeping their kids close to them, or not saying hello.”

Often, in lieu of clinical sources of aid, African Americans turn to spiritual advisors and circles instead. At God’s Way Christian Baptist Church, however, Eugenia and her son found both. Eugenia shared, “They don’t stigmatize people there. God’s Way truly embraced my children and encouraged them to use their talents.”

Led by Reverend Dr. B.R. Reese, God’s Way is one of 11 faith-based organizations that received funding through the Hogg Foundation’s Faith-Based Initiative for African American Mental Heath Education, which aims to build on the unique strengths of churches and faith-based organizations in African American communities to increase awareness about and change perceptions of mental health, recovery and wellness, and to connect congregants with culturally competent behavioral health resources. Grantees have used the funds to start or strengthen dialogues about mental health—both within their respective places of worship and with providers in surrounding communities.

Mental Health Dialogues: From Pulpit to Barbershop

When Greg was a teenager, Eugenia brought him to God’s Way for the first time. Now, over 20 years later, she serves the church as an Assistant Minister and Sunday School teacher. “My son loves to go to church,” she said. “He lights up when he sees the pastor. They’ve always included him—telling him they missed him, and asking how he’s been.”

Based in Taylor, Texas, the church and its pioneering Wellness and Empowerment Community Ministries (WECM) initiatives have created a culture of inclusivity and sensitivity that provides for the congregation’s spiritual and psychological needs. Though of modest size—the church convenes 50 to 100 attendees every Sunday—lessons learned and taught by God’s Way clergy have, thanks to evidence of success and word of mouth, traveled far and wide.

Health fairs, conferences, vacation bible school programs, and other community awareness events are helmed by the leaders at God’s Way—whose passion for mental health education, like Eugenia’s, often stems from their own experiences of enlightenment.

Sonya Hosey, the church’s Associate Pastor and Project Director of WECM, recalled the experience of growing up with a war veteran father who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I never had answers as a child—there was never a name for it,” she said. “Only as I began to work in the area of mental health did I finally understand some of the things he was going through.”

That sense of understanding is what WECM education efforts try to impart on participants. With the help of partnerships with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, social service agencies, and other churches in Central Texas, Sonya organizes outreach events to share the critical mental health knowledge that is so beautifully helping God’s Way congregants with other community members and leaders.

One of WECM’s most successful programs is a series of barbershop dialogues, wherein representatives from God’s Way and local law enforcement chat with barbershop patrons about the mental health issues afflicting the criminal justice system. The initiative is informed by Pastor Reese’s belief in the need for first responders—pastors included—to come together and familiarize themselves with the unique nature of mental health emergencies. “We can educate them,” he said. “We can let them know how to talk to someone with mental illness, instead of handcuffing or tazing them.”

“I see us as a connector. We really look at the gaps and explore ones that some entities might not even be aware of,” Sonya shared.

Mental Health Education: Supporting Youth, Ending Stigma

Greg’s story sheds light on the importance of another principle of mental health education at God’s Way: its focus on the youth. As a Sunday School teacher, Eugenia can attest to the enthusiasm her students show when learning about topics that typically don’t see the light of day in public school curricula. “They’re really inquisitive, and that helps us out,” said Eugenia. “Because if we can help them, they’ll help somebody else.”

Youth-oriented activities mix entertainment—in the form of pizza parties, bowling nights, and other fun-filled diversions—with mental health education and guidance. Attendees even bring along friends. At these events, Sonya said, “They begin to understand signs and symptoms shown by their peers. And for them to ask so many questions—that’s significant.”

The dependable flood of questions is not just a sign of curiosity. It indicates that WECM educators have succeeded in fostering a quality of acceptance around subjects that might otherwise be misunderstood or stigmatized. “In our church, there are a lot of young people who live below the poverty line, or in single-parent households,” said Pastor Reese. “Because they might not have all the resources they need, we have to run programs that will help them feel better about themselves—help them build self-esteem.”

It’s difficult to overstate just how valuable that can be for kids who are merely grappling with the normal emotions of coming of age, and more so for those experiencing stress and anxiety—or worse, trauma. “They’re really trying to find out who they are, and it’s more confusing now than when I was growing up,” said Sonya. “We have to give them a voice. We have to listen.”

The Ripple Effect: A Community That Supports Well-Being

The accomplishments of Pastor Reese and his church—playing the various roles of healer, educator, connector and civic leader—have caught the attention of pastors in nearby locales and beyond, who often phone him about WECM. “The perimeter of what we’re doing at God’s Way far outreaches the four walls of the church. It’s regional and more profound.” says Pastor Reese. Pastors, churches and congregants come to this work with differences in personal experience and belief, so it’s to be expected that some might not adopt God’s Way’s WECM’s mission wholesale. But according to Sonya, absolute buy-in isn’t necessary when it comes to generating impact.

Just talking about mental health—and debunking misunderstandings about mental illness—validates people’s experiences and opens the door for collaboration among churches, behavioral health providers and families to better address community needs. “We tell them that we don’t have to take the lead,” said Sonya. “They just have to take the information. Take the resources. Share with their community, their church, their youth. When you have that type of network, it helps develop you as a person, and as a community.”

Read more on Hogg.UTexas.edu.