HHS invests $1M in community social and emotional wellness

In April, Washington County Health and Human Services awarded $1,000,000 to 11 community-based organizations through a competitive one-time grant funding opportunity to support community-based organizations in strengthening social and emotional wellness across the lifespan. The goal of this effort was to develop an equity- and community-centered funding opportunity that offered organizations the opportunity to select social and emotional wellness strategies that were trauma-informed and grounded in racial equity approaches.

The organizations that were funded will contribute a larger body of work in Washington County that aims to improve behavioral health outcomes among children and youth, adults, and older adults in Washington County, particularly for Black/African American, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian, People of Color, immigrant and refugee, LGBTQ+ communities, or those living at the intersection of those identities. This grant was made possible through a unique braided funding approach across multiple HHS programs that included funds from nine different local, state and federal sources.

Grant awards were selected through a rigorous review process that involved internal and external partners. The organizations listed below were selected for awards under this grant. Those with an asterisk next to their name were awarded funds specifically to support evidence-based parenting education in partnership with Parenting Together Washington County.