Accessing Mental Health Services for Young Children and Caregivers Grant

The William Penn Foundation aims to enhance access to mental health services for young children and caregivers in Philadelphia. This initiative addresses the high rates of adverse childhood experiences in low-income communities and supports families with children aged 0-8 facing barriers such as limited income and cultural challenges. By increasing the number of qualified providers and ensuring culturally competent care, the Foundation seeks to improve mental health outcomes and promote healthier parent-child relationships.

Accessing Mental Health Services for Young Children and Caregivers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refers to mental and behavioral health as our “emotional, psychological, and social well-being.” Some mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can begin in early childhood. Mental health services for caregivers and their children during early childhood can help support strong parent/child relationships, promote positive parenting practices, and help children learn to manage symptoms that may present barriers in social and educational settings.
Children in Philadelphia who reside in communities that are heavily impacted by poverty often endure a high rate of adverse-childhood experiences (ACEs) – abuse, neglect, or household challenges – that can have negative, lasting effects on health and well-being. According to the 2017 Place Matters report by the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), mental health risk index scores for 85% of Philadelphia zip codes were above the national average for need.
According to the Zero To Three Think Babies Campaign, early treatment of mental and behavioral health concerns can help prevent more serious disorders in adulthood. Lack of culturally and linguistically competent staff, workforce shortages, long waitlists, and services that are inaccessible to local neighborhoods make it difficult or impossible for children and their caregivers to access mental health services.
Opportunity Overview
The Foundation seeks to support efforts that increase access to mental and behavioral health services for caregivers and young children in Philadelphia. Funding will be limited to projects that will positively impact families with young children, ages 0-8, who have traditionally faced barriers to service for reasons including, but not limited to, limited income, insufficient availability of treatment, inaccessible treatment sites, cultural and/or linguistic barriers, immigration status, and limited awareness of existing services.

Eligibility

Proposals must include activities that do at least one of the following:
Increase the number of licensed MBH providers serving young children who participate in Medical Assistance (Medicaid).Increase the number of culturally and linguistically competent professionals serving in community-based settings.Expand the reach of existing comprehensive MBH services for young children in geographic areas of the city with the greatest need. Priority will be given to proposals that address service needs in Philadelphia’s top ten “high risk” zip codes, according to the Risk Index published in the 2017 DBHIDS Place Matters report: 19120, 19121, 19122, 19124, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19139, 19140, 19142Advocate for policies that increase access to MBH services for families with young children (prenatal to age 8).Provide MBH care coordination, a system used by child and family serving professionals for efficient, cross-programmatic communication regarding MBH services.Provide screening and assessment for MBH services for families with young children (birth to age 8) or those who are pregnant.Offer training for children and family-serving professionals that establishes or strengthens access to direct MBH services.Organizations that propose projects in partnership with other applicants will be considered on their individual merits.
However, the Foundation recognizes that making significant progress on the objective is difficult and encourages organizations to include partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, resources, and expertise to reach proposed goals.
Eligibility
Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)3 public charities or operate under a public charity fiduciary.
Public charities include community-based organizations, schools and educational institutions, and other types of public-serving groups.
Government entities are also eligible to apply.

Ineligibility

Under this RFP, the Foundation will not consider proposals to support the following:

• Physical health services such as well child and adult exams or treatment.

Services currently covered through Medicaid’s Behavioral Health Choices programDrug and alcohol addiction treatment.Services to children and families covered under Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention program.Capital projects/facility improvements.Projects that do not have established evidence of implementation and impact (i.e., no pilot programs or studies to establish efficacy or effectiveness will be funded).