IMH 2019 Annual Report

2019

Annual Report

institute

of

mental

hygiene

contents

03

Mission and Core Values

04

Letter from Executive Director and Board President

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Grantee Profile: TrainingGrounds

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Summary of Grants by Type

08

Nancy J. Aronson Core Support Grants

09

Advocacy Grants

10

Community-Based Grants

11

School-Based Grants

12

Early Childhood Grants

13

End of Year Financial Statement

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Board of Directors

Strategic Priorities

IMH’s mission is to promote optimal mental health for

To add mental health services to

children and their families in New Orleans.

existing programs that serve children and their families in New Orleans.

To leverage our funds through partnering with other organizations that

I MH believes that mental health must be defined broadly and recognizes that the development of optimal mental health (sometimes referred to as social-emotional development) is affected by many factors.

are interested in adding mental health services to their existing programs.

To help build bridges between providers in low-income communities and

We believe that it is important to build on successes by promoting best

universities and other mainstream

practices and innovative approaches that offer promise.

mental health and child-serving institutions, and to encourage

We believe that issues of race and culture affect mental health and the

community voices in conversations

provision of services and should be addressed.

about mental health.

We believe that our grants should support programs that intentionally

To build mental health leadership

and specifically address the social-emotional development of low-

capacity in the community.

income and/or underserved children and their families in Orleans parish.

To support efforts related to advocacy, We believe that early intervention and prevention are the most

infrastructure development, and

effective approaches to promoting optimal mental health in children and

improving the organizational

their families in our community.

effectiveness of mental health groups in New Orleans.

We believe that families are fundamental to their children’s social and emotional development and should be supported in their parenting.

corevalues

mission

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L e t t e r f r o m E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r a n d B o a r d P r e s id e n t

I

n 2019, IMH continued to invest in both innovative and well-established efforts to support the optimal mental health of children and families. We conducted two grant cycles, committing $541,856 to support such efforts. This annual report details those investments and provides our most recent financial statements.

In addition to continuing support for numerous successful efforts that improve outcomes for our children, we are excited to be actively engaged in several efforts to create new models of support for children and families in our community. These include Brothers Empowered to Teach’s pre-teaching fellowship for college students of color, the New Orleans Youth Alliance’s Soul Rebels trauma-informed professional development series for youth development professionals, and Families Helping Families of Southeast Louisiana’s new computer coding program for youth with autism, among others. You will find more detail on one of these investments – TrainingGrounds – and their innovative We PLAY Center in the pages that follow.

In 2019, we also continued to see the impact of our investments in advocacy, which continue to leverage our resources for systems changes that benefit children in New Orleans. This has increased state and local investment in high-quality early care and education and helped make New Orleans a more trauma-informed city.

Two of our ongoing Nancy J. Aronson Core Support grantees – the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children and the New Orleans Campaign for Grade-Level Reading – have helped generate millions of dollars in new public funding to expand access to quality early care and education for New Orleans children under age four. In November of 2019, the City of New Orleans once again doubled its investment in early care and education when the City Council passed the 2020 City Budget with $3 million for early care and education. As a result of the efforts of our grantees and city leaders alongside hundreds of families and advocates, in less than three years, our city budget has increased from no municipal investment in early care and education to $3 million, which impacts hundreds of children during the most critical time in their brain development.

We are thankful to the leadership of our board of directors, who have steadily and strategically guided our work. In 2019, we welcomed Saundra Levy and Caleb Didriksen as new board members. They both bring years of experience and deep knowledge of our community. We look forward to continuing to work with grantees and partners in 2020 to promote the optimal mental health for children and their families in New Orleans.

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D a v id F r a n c i s R o n a l d P . M c C l a i n Board President Executive Director

Tr a i n i n g g r o u n d s : c rea ting a c ommu n i t y o f s u p p o rt fo r ea rly c h i l d h o o d D e v e l o p m ent

September 12, 2017 “TrainingGrounds was the perfect choice for my son and me. He’s come completely out of his shell and because of TrainingGrounds, he’s consistently learning new skills that’s going to help him throughout his life. As a new first time mom, I’m learning things that are teaching me how to communicate better with my two-year-old. I recommend anyone with a child age 0-3 come to Training Grounds.

You definitely won’t regret it.”

IMH provided a $20,000 grant in 2017 to support the expansion of TrainingGrounds’ We PLAY Center to a larger facility and recently committed to an additional grant of $30,000 in 2020 to expand its programming.

TrainingGrounds assists families, educators and communities in strengthening the foundation on which children can succeed.

TrainingGrounds was founded in 2016 by social entrepreneurs Melanie Richardson, LMSW and Christine Neely, M.Ed. to address the gap they saw in supporting parents and caregivers with young children. They bring to TrainingGrounds a combined 40 years of experience in child development, education, and family services with organizations like the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital, and the New Orleans Health Department.

They created the We PLAY Center to support caregivers and children, birth to age three, in developing school readiness skills and learning nurturing parenting strategies. With nearly 10,000 low-income families in Orleans Parish alone who do not have access to a quality early care and education that they can afford, the We PLAY Center provides a valuable alternative that supports parents and caregivers in promoting healthy child development in a child’s first years when 90% of brain development occurs.

November 20, 2019 “Amari is now in the PreK-4 program at St. Leo the Great. He absolutely loves school. His teachers said that he’s always willing to learn, he’s a fast learner and his social skills are excellent. His first report card was very good! I mentioned to his teachers that he was a part of We PLAY TrainingGrounds and they are very familiar with the program. Amari got his start at We PLAY and he’s doing great in school because of it!

– Kristyn, TrainingGrounds parent

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Parents at the We PLAY Center consistently indicate that participation improves their skills, knowledge, and awareness to support the healthy development of their children: 8 3% of parents reported a stronger bond with their child.

7 0% reported an improved understanding of healthy child development.

6 7% reported feeling better able to meet the social and emotional needs of their children.

In addition to the We PLAY Center, TrainingGrounds offers learning experience workshops for parents and professional development training for early childhood educators and civic leaders. In 2019, this included a workshop on Brain Architecture for city leaders, offered in partnership with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and a screening of No Small Matter, a feature-length documentary on early care and education, which was attended by more than 100 community members.

In the first three quarters of 2019, TrainingGrounds: S erved 855 unique individuals from 355 families through its We PLAY Center at Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center.

P rovided 24 Parent Learning Opportunities (workshops) to assist caregivers with their role as first teachers.

T rained 613 professionals through 19 professional development workshops about the science of brain development and best practices in early childhood development.

E ngaged more than 30 partners – from Agenda for Children and Kingsley House to the Nurse Family Partnership and Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services – in delivering programming, including professional development training, parent learning experiences, and referrals for services.

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P articipated in 12 community-based resource fairs to promote the We PLAY Center.

January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019

Grant making at IMH is guided by our mission, our core values, and the areas of focus selected by the Foundation.

IMH funding is limited, by charter, to Orleans Parish. We do not fund capital projects or individuals. For grant application guidelines, deadlines and details, please visit www.imhno.org or call (504) 566-1852.

GRANT TYPE GRANT COUNT GRANT TYPE AMOUNT

Core Support

0

$0

Advocacy

2

$72,500

Community-Based

6

$115,000

School-Based

4

$97,500

Early Childhood

10

$256,856

Grant funding totals

22

$541,856

grants

Summary of Grants by Type

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NANCY J. ARONSON CORE SUPPO RT GRANTS IMH provides Core Support Grants to mental health organizations with a proven record of accomplishment. These grants are intended to provide stable yet flexible dollars to organizations addressing the mental health needs of children and their families. These grants are named the Nancy J. Aronson Core Support Grants Program in recognition of the 16-year tenure of the first director of IMH and her commitment to supporting the work of nonprofits in the community. Applications are by invitation only.

In 2019, the foundation did not make any new Nancy J. Aronson Core Support grants.

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ADVOCACY GRANTS IMH supports advocacy as a strategy to work toward increased public support for the full range of mental health services for children and their families and toward the development of policies and regulations that promote quality in the supports and services available to all children.

IMH also supports organizational efforts to increase and strengthen the voices of children, parents, and caretakers in their communities; and we will support convenings to better inform the public on issues relating to children’s optimal development and mental health.

Grantee

Description Grant Period

Grant AMOUNT

New Pathways New Orleans

Supporting Cross-Sector Collaboration 2019 $17,000 for Increased Children’s Services ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The New Orleans Children and Youth Trauma Informed City 2019 $55,500 Planning Board Advocacy Project –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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Community-Based GRANTS IMH supports efforts to increase the availability of prevention, early intervention, and treatment services in community settings.

Such efforts might include the co-location of mental health services with other well-utilized services for children and their families.

IMH supports the provision of services in locations that are easily accessible to vulnerable populations. We also support the development of partnerships and collaborations between multiple organizations that serve the same population.

Grantee

Description Grant Period

Grant AMOUNT

Families Helping Families of Computer Coding for Youth with Autism – 2019 $10,000 Southeast Louisiana Pathway Out of Poverty ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– New Orleans Youth Alliance Soul Rebels Series 2019 $30,000 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Presbyterian Children’s Homes New Orleans Child and Family Program 2019 $10,000 and Services ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Brothers Empowered to Teach Brothers Empowered To Teach (BE2T) Fellowship 2020 $20,000 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– College Track New Orleans Supporting New Orleans Students’ Social-Emotional 2020 $30,000 Wellness To and Through College ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Youth Empowerment Project The Youth Empowerment Project 2020 $15,000 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

10

SCHOOL-Based GRANTS IMH defines comprehensive mental health services as the range of services necessary to address the barriers to learning that many children experience. We are especially interested in efforts that address the barriers that stem from emotional and behavioral issues and problems, which must be integrated with efforts to address barriers that stem from learning and physical health problems. We believe that comprehensive mental health services need to be rooted in a school climate that welcomes and nurtures students and their families. IMH supports the use of prevention programs to build the social and emotional competence of the entire school population.

Grantee

Description Grant Period

Grant AMOUNT

Bricolage Academy

Reading Recovery: Scale across Bricolage’s Kindergarten, 2019 $30,000 First and Second Grades ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Up2Us Sports Trauma-sensitive sports-based youth development 2019 $10,000 school intervention ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Jewish Family Service of Teen Life Counts 2020 $20,000 Greater New Orleans ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– City Year City Year Cohort at GW Carver Senior High School 2019 $37,500 (Collaborative Partnership) –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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EARLY CHILDHOOD GRANTS IMH seeks to strengthen and sustain policies, programs, and providers focusing on early childhood and families with children ages birth to six years.

Through this grantmaking program, IMH funds programs to: increase the number of children ready for kindergarten by building their social and behavioral skills; increase the social and emotional well-being of children in early childhood programs; assist parents and caretakers in parenting their children; and improve the effectiveness of parents and organizations in advocating for programs and policies that address the social and emotional needs of young children.

In reviewing applicants, we look for the use of evidence-based approaches. IMH will also fund early intervention and treatment programs for young children with mental health issues.

Grantee

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Description Grant Period

Grant AMOUNT

Big Class 826 New Orleans Literacy-Based After School Program 2019 $15,000 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Compassion Outreach of America Fathers Matter 2019 $25,000 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Early Learning Focus Inc. LETS Read Literacy & SEL Program 2019 $20,500 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– LSU Health Sciences CenterDevelopment of an Infant and Early Childhood 2019 $40,000 New Orleans Mental Health Service Model –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– STAIR Start The Adventure In Reading 2019 $21,356 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Young Audiences of Louisiana Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA) Wolf Trap 2019 $20,000 Early Childhood Social/Emotional Wellness Initiative –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Center for the Innovative Training of STEM NOLA Early Childhood Program 2020 $25,000 Youth d/b/a STEM NOLA –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– DSCEJ INC. The New Orleans Infant Mental Health Project 2020 $50,000 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The New Orleans Women & Early Childhood Education for Homeless Children 2020 $10,000 Children’s Shelter –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– TrainingGrounds, Inc The We PLAY Center 2020 $30,000 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Statement of Financial Position ASSETS –––––––––––––––––––––––– CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents Prepaid expenses Overfunded grant receivable Total Current Assets

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Furniture and equipment Less: Accumulated depreciation Total Property and Equipment

2018

2017

Year ended December 31, 2018

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS –––––

2018

2017

$ 23,094

$ 25,294

703,013

660,063

744,877

704,527

Grants payable, net

202,230

155,371

Total Liabilities

947,107

859,898

Unrestricted net assets

17,573,617

20,003,300

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

$18,520,724

$20,863,198

CURRENT LIABILITIES $ 1,736,911

$ 4,344,339

21,083

28,083

0

4,000

1,757,994

4,376,422

14,819

14,819

1,195

2,055

13,624

12,764

Accounts payable Excise tax payable Current portion of grants payable Total Current Liabilities

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES

NET ASSETS OTHER ASSETS

Investments Total Other Assets

TOTAL ASSETS

16,761,535

16,484,721

$18,520,724

$20,863,198

16,761,535

16,484,721

18,770

19,170

financials

Institute of Mental Hygiene of the City of New Orleans

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STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Year ended December 31, 2018

Year ended December 31, 2018

2018

2017

$ (1,288,558)

$ 1,979,187

2018

2017

Program Services: Grants made to charitable organizations

787,360

953,951

Supporting Services: Management and general

353,765

348,835

1,141,125

1,302,786

(2,429,683)

676,401

2018

2017

REVENUES AND GAINS (LOSSES)

Investment return, net EXPENSES

TOTAL EXPENSES

2018 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

$ (2,429,683)

$ 676,401

860

1,674

1,536,203

(1,783,157)

4,000

23,287

87,209

103,879

(801,411)

(977,916)

Purchase of investments Proceeds from sale of investments Decrease in overfunded grant receivable Purchase of equipment

(9,426,675)

(6,189,589)

Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities

(1,806,017)

2,345,284

(2,607,428)

1,367,368

Increase (decrease) in net assets Adjustments to reconcile increase in net assets to net cash (used for) operating activities: Depreciation

Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses on investments Decrease in accrued income and prepaid expenses Increase in payables

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS

NET ASSETS BEGINNING OF YEAR END OF YEAR

20,003,300

19,326,899

$17,573,617

$20,003,300

2017

Net cash (used for) operating activities CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

7,613,658 7,000 0

8,522,066 14,021 (1,214)

Cash and cash equivalents Beginning of year End of year

4,344,339

2,976,971

$ 1,736,911

$ 4,344,339

Supplemental Schedule of Cash Flow Information Interest paid $ 0

Excise taxes paid

14

$ 37,940

$

$

0

0

David Francis

Allison Boothe Trigg, PhD

President

Tap Bui, MPH Caleb Didriksen

Qi Wiggins

Martin Drell, MD

Vice President

Myrialis King, JD Anne Teague Landis, MBA

Mia D. Merrell

Saundra Levy

Secretary

Beverly R. Nichols, CPA

board

Current Board of Directors

Maggie Runyan-Shefa, MPA Katie M. Gibert, CPA

Mahlon D. Sanford

Treasurer

Mark Taliancich, PhD Kevin Wilkins, MBA

Ronald P. McClain, JD, LCSW-BACS

Carol Wise

Executive Director

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I n s t i t u t e o f M e n ta l H y g i e n e

p r epa r ed b y

1055 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 350, New Orleans, LA 70130 phone (504) 566-1852 fax (504) 566-1853

Photos provided by TrainingGrounds