SAYRE – Guthrie Health has announced that the health care system’s Community Benefit Grant Program recently awarded $10,000 to two local programs that focus on improving mental health care in the areas we serve.
$5,000 was awarded to Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca in support of its clinical internship program which provides mental health interns with high-quality education, hands-on learning, and support. The goal of the program is to bring new providers to the area and improve mental health care access for the community. Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca served 1,289 people in 2022.
$5,000 was also awarded to The Potter’s Hands Foundation in Corning in support of its mental health coaching program which supports women who have survived sex trafficking. The goal of the program is to provide survivors with physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and teach them the skills necessary for self-reliance and reintegration to society. The Foundation operates the only 12-month residential, treatment-specific facility for sex trafficked survivors in the Southern Tier and Western New York.
These grants were awarded as part of Guthrie’s Community Benefit Grant Program, which funds projects based on Guthrie’s Community Health Needs Assessment. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requires non-profit hospitals to complete a community needs assessment (CHNA) every three years. According to Guthrie, the following areas of need were identified for 2020-2023: obesity, access to mental health providers, and cancer incidence with a focus on tobacco usage.
The Community Benefit Committee continues to seek opportunities to support local nonprofits addressing mental health needs.