The SPLASH Centre/Harbour Grace Community Youth Network (CYN) is one of 12 groups to receive a grant from the Community Addictions Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Fund.
Eastern Health announced earlier this month that the CYN would receive the maximum grant of $5,000 to administer a project called Strengthening Families for the Future (SFF). The funding will be used to offer a 14-week research based early intervention and prevention program aimed at children aged 9 to 13 years and their families.
Similar projects were funded in St. John's, Clarenville, Marystown, Grand Bank and on the Southern Avalon.
The purpose of the fund is to help support health prevention and promotion activities that seek to reduce problematic substance use and gambling, promote mental health, address stigma and provide effective prevention and harm reduction strategies.
The fund was introduced in December 2009 as an initiative by the provincial Department of Health and Community Services, and is administered by the four regional health authorities in the province.
This year, Eastern Health distributed a total of $44,868 towards projects that support mental health promotion and addictions prevention, with a maximum grant amount of $5,000 per project.
“Eastern Health is committed to continuing to build partnerships that will help create better health outcomes for the communities and people we serve,” said Beverly Clarke, vice-president responsible for mental health and addictions at Eastern Health.
“By forging partnerships with community groups and supporting the development and creation of innovative programs and initiatives in our communities, we are able carry out our vision of healthier people and healthier communities.”
To-date, the projects put forward by fund recipients align closely with Eastern Health’s strategic plan for 2011-2014, called "Together, We Can," which identifies population health as an area of focus.
This fund provides Eastern Health with the opportunity to partner with groups to make available various health prevention and promotion activities, in an effort to reach target populations, such as those faced with addiction problems or mental health issues. These partnerships are essential to helping promote healthier lifestyles and well-being in communities throughout the eastern region.
With the support from the Department of Health and Community Services, each year, Eastern Health is able to encourage municipalities, organizations and non-profit community groups who are interested in mental health promotion and addictions prevention to apply for funding.
For more information about the fund, including application criteria and project priority areas, visit Eastern Health’s website at www.easternhealth.ca.
