Funding Will be Used to Strengthen Mental Health of First Responders in Southwest Ohio Counties.
CINCINNATI, Ohio – HealthPath Foundation of Ohio (HealthPath) recently awarded the HOPE Community Center in Amelia, Ohio, a $20,000 grant for their Building Resiliency in First Responders (Building Resiliency) program. Modeled after a program created by the U.S. Army, the Building Resiliency program uses a network of peer support to strengthen the culture of mental health care for first responders. The program will be the first of its kind to serve Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties.
“First responders are vulnerable to PTSD due to first-hand exposure to extremely stressful and traumatic events, said Amy Foley, executive director of HOPE Community Center. “By enabling colleagues to support each other through peer support training, we’re creating an environment built around prevention, intervention, and breaking the negative stigma commonly associated with mental health.”
Using a train-the-trainer model, the Building Resiliency program will offer a network of peer support among first responders to teach them about cumulative stress, the symptoms it produces and how it can be reduced and overcome. The practices used throughout the program will increase first responders’ abilities to overcome setbacks, solve problems, remain focused under pressure, increase confidence and increase overall happiness, while also decreasing depression, anxiety, feelings of helplessness and substance abuse.
“For the past 20 years, HealthPath has partnered with nonprofit organizations to help Ohioans achieve their fullest health potential,” said Eric DeWald, president of HealthPath. “We’re honored to partner with HOPE Community Center on this innovative program, and we are excited to see their success through this year’s efforts.”
The Building Resiliency program supports HealthPath’s result area of creating Healthy Ohioans to ensure people have access to the resources they need to be healthy, including access to care and healthy food. The grant is part of HealthPath’s 2019 funding, which includes an additional 20 grants totaling $160,000 to date to Ohio nonprofit organizations.