About CRWP
Since January 2021, The Center at Sierra Health Foundation has contracted with Sacramento County Behavioral Health Services to support the development of the Community Responsive Wellness Program’s outreach, engagement and prevention services for Black communities of Sacramento. This program previously was called the Trauma-Informed Wellness Program.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and deepened the complex array of challenges confronting Black families and youth in Sacramento. In too many cases, they have been left to process grief, racism, economic insecurity, educational challenges and isolation on their own and without adequate support.
Although Black, and in many cases Latinx, children experience disproportionate rates of depression and anxiety, they are 14 percent less likely than white youth to receive treatment for these conditions. (RTOR.org) Our program addresses this need by connecting youth, families and communities with the care and resources they need to cope and thrive.
More About the Program’s Background
Issues related to poverty, violence, and housing and food insecurity have complicated the mental health challenges that Sacramento’s Black communities face. Since 1992, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasized the importance of addressing violence as a public health issue. (CDC.gov) The Community Responsive Wellness Program provides support to individuals who need mental health support and might otherwise be victims or perpetrators of violence. Individuals experiencing mental health issues frequently have negative, and even deadly, encounters with law enforcement. The collective community grief and anger following the murder of Stephon Clark by local police is a devastating reminder that a community-based, trauma-informed approach is needed to ensure the safety and well-being of Black people in Sacramento.
Our Vision
We believe the Community Responsive Wellness Program can play a significant role in supporting the revitalization of a healthy Black community in Sacramento. We believe that through a deliberate effort to increase the agency, empowerment, connectedness and awareness of residents, wellness will improve, and violence will decrease.
We envision mental health service providers who actively seek to understand the context of mental health needs in Sacramento’s Black communities. We envision community-based organizations that are responsive to the health and wellness needs of our community members and provide intervention as well as preventive support.
Our Goals
To realize our vision for Sacramento’s Black community, we commit to:
- Educating the public on common mental health needs and wellness practices
- Supporting access to culturally responsive mental health services
- Building the capacity of mental health service providers to identify and be responsive to common mental health needs
- Ensuring that service providers maintain an accurate account of the context of mental health needs
- Reducing violence through the promotion of mental health and wellness