Community Benefit awards $127,000 in grants to address mental health, substance misuse

May 16, 2022 -- In the first of two grant cycles this year, Reid Health Community Benefit is giving more than $127,000 to 21 local organizations.

The first cycle of 2022 was focused on Mental Health & Substance Misuse, with $127,513 being awarded to a mix of nonprofits and schools.

Requests were evaluated based on their ability to impact the number of adults who smoke, the death rate due to drug poisoning, mothers who smoke during pregnancy, age-adjusted death rate due to suicide, child abuse rate, non-fatal emergency visits due to opioid overdose, and poor mental health average number of days.

Applications for the second cycle -- Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Weight -- are open until May 24. Those will be evaluated based on their ability to impact access to exercise opportunities, adults age 20 and older who are obese, adults 20 and older who are sedentary, child food insecurity rate, and food insecurity rate.

The awards for the first cycle include:

• $6,000 to A Better Way (formerly Genesis) to promote and expand the crisis hotline in this area.
• $10,000 to Birth to Five for staffing support for the Healthy Families program.
• $10,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County for Prevention Plus programming at the clubs and in schools.
• $2,500 to Brighter Path to support scholarships for their equine therapy program for children and adults.
• $5,000 to Children's Advocacy Center of Randolph County to support prevention programming for children and adults in Randolph County.
• $10,000 to Family Services & Prevention Programming for half the purchase price of an LED sign for prevention messaging and to promote pro-social events.
• $3,800 to Girls Inc. for staff training for Mental Health First Aid and Peer Helpers.
• $5,000 to Independent Living Center for prefabricated, reusable ramps in Reid's service area.
• $10,373 to JACY House for prevention programming for children and adults in six counties in Reid's service area.
• $8,000 to Meridian Health Services to remove barriers associated with securing housing and transportation for active participants in the maternal treatment program known as The Nest.
• $900 to Open Arms Ministries to provide four workshops related to mental health: Two focused on seniors, one for teens, and one for societal reentry after incarceration.
• $5,000 to Preble Arts for monthly art workshops for first responders and healthcare workers as a form of art therapy.
• $7,500 to Randolph County veteran's shelter The Journey Home to help the Veteran's Outreach Team in locating homeless veterans and providing them with services and support.
• $6,410 to Randolph Eastern School Corp. to expand the Leader in Me program to high school students and teachers.
• $532 to Starr Elementary for activities designed to provide mental health support for teachers and staff at the school.
• $3,500 to Rose Hamilton Elementary to expand the Trust Based Relational Intervention curriculum and supplies for Centerville schools.
• $1,250 to Senior Opportunity Services to support the homemaker program for seniors.
• $12,748 to The Shepherd's Way (Cross Road Christian Recovery Center for Women) for a part-time case manager and the purchase of curriculum for women with a history of addiction and trauma.
• $7,000 to Western Wayne Schools to expand the Trust Based Relational Intervention training, curriculum, and supplies for the elementary and middle schools.
• $10,000 to Whole Family Community Initiative (House of Ruth) for counseling services for residents of House of Ruth and their families.
• $2,000 to YMCA of Darke County for a wellness program for adult probation clients in Darke County called Physical Training for Change.

Community benefit is the basis of the tax-exempt status of not-for-profit hospitals. Community benefit is defined as programs or activities that improve access to health services, enhance public health, advance health knowledge through research and education, and/or relieve the burden of government to improve health.

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act added new requirements for tax-exempt hospitals in the areas of community health needs assessment (CHNA), implementation strategy, billing and collections, and reporting. In 2014, the IRS issued final rules implementing these requirements. The goals of these provisions are to ensure tax-exempt hospitals are meeting the health needs of their communities and to ensure greater transparency and accountability.

Grants, along with other specific outreach and requirements to meet Reid Health's not-for-profit status, have put more than $172 million back into the community in the past five years. A committee of Reid's governing board and community members reviews grant requests. The grants are awarded as part of the health system's efforts as a mission-driven, not-for-profit organization.