CFO starts mental wellness grants

Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc. is accepting multiyear grant proposals to reduce barriers that deter people from seeking support for mental health services.

Dubbed the Advancing Mental Wellness program, it kicked off on World Mental Health Day, recognized on Oct. 10, according to a news release.

The CFO Board of Directors approved a $200,000 grant cycle for 2022-23 in response to the need for mental wellness services identified in the 2022 Springfield Community Regional Health Assessment produced by the Ozarks Health Commission. Mental health ranked first among community priorities based on emergency department and public health data.

The findings in the assessment include:
• 28% of emergency room visits for health issues were related to mental health or substance use issues.
• Springfield community residents ages 18-64 receive mental health care at a rate double that of younger residents and more than quadruple that of older residents.
• The region’s suicide rate, which worsened since the last assessment, is 22%, which is 20% higher than Missouri’s at 18.3% and 64% higher than the U.S. at 13.4%.

“Here in the Springfield community, every 5.5 days, someone is dying of suicide,” said Aaron Schekorra, public health information administrator for the Springfield Greene-County Health Department, in the release. “Thankfully, the report also showed that there is the leadership, momentum and resources in place in our community to make positive change on this issue and create better mental health for our community.”

CFO officials say the first grant round will start with a review of partnership-focused proposals from agencies with eligible 501(c)3 or equivalent IRS status. Proposal finalists will then submit a full grant application in early 2023, with grants expected to be issued in the spring.