SEPTEMEBR
I
2021
VOLUME 52
I
ISSUE NO.1
BRINGING CARE TO YOUR DOORSTEP Horizon’s Summer Community Health Worker Outreach Initiative
“I’m raising two little girls now. I don’t know how to deal with the grief of my daughter, but I’m trying. These little girls grieve their mommy. So, it does mean a lot to me to know that there’s help out there for me,” Horizon Behavioral Health is emerging from the national COVID-19 shutdown with innovative efforts to engage the region like never before. In response to significant rises in mental health and substance use challenges during the pandemic, Horizon launched a six-week summer outreach community health worker initiative that has met residents in underserved communities right at their doorstep. "The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic has placed individuals at increased risk for mental illness and substance use ushering in a great need for hope, reassurance, and support" says Januwaa Davis, Prevention & Wellness Program Manager, "We believe that this gentle, yet genuine reminder that they are not alone, is the catalyst for getting many the help that they so desperately need." This team provides home wellness checks and care packages at no cost to residents in the City of Lynchburg and counties of Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox, and Amherst. The community health workers were trained to identify signs of mental health and substance use conditions and provide information on how to access food, housing, employment, financial assistance, legal and medical services. They also offered additional free resources to help prevent potential crises such as medication disposal kits, lockboxes, and trigger locks.
said Georgia.
The team met Georgia Robinson at her door when she needed them most. She was struggling with the death of her 23-year old daughter and left to care for her five- and three-year-old granddaughters. The community health workers who paid Georgia a visit were able to provide her with helpful information on how to support her in her new role as caretaker. Over 1,647 wellness visits and 1,001 care packages were delivered in just a four-week period. Each visit revealed emerging community needs and barriers to service including access to technology, lack of awareness, stigmatization as well as social isolation. Through this program, Horizon has proactively overcome those barriers by improving perceived accessibility to available supportive services throughout the community. Foundational to the success of this initiative lies dedicated community partnerships with local school divisions, law enforcement, and the Department of Social Services who collaborated to ensure communities most in need were provided the support extended by this program.
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