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The Kim Foundation®,
in collaboration with individuals, organizations, and healthcare providers
throughout Nebraska, is pleased to bring you a monthly e-newsletter
addressing mental health care.
If you have comments, questions, or information you would like to share
through the e-newsletter, please email us at
info@thekimfoundation.org.
For more information on mental health issues in Nebraska, please visit
www.thekimfoundation.org.
 Diana's Viewpoint
Diana Waggoner | Executive Director
Community Efforts Promote Change
We look forward to our monthly newsletter as it becomes
an opportunity to share with readers recent tidbits gleaned specifically addressing mental health issues. Many newsy items cross our desk from international, national, and local perspectives each month, and naturally, we remain most proud of the efforts at the grass roots level in Nebraska,
as consumers are more and more taking leadership in changing the face
of mental health care. For example, local Nebraska organizations are becoming involved in suicide awareness and prevention programs unique
to their communities. There is local leadership in recognizing the legitimate needs of youth transitioning from many years in foster care to life as an ‘independent adult’, and it has been acknowledged that parents willing to adopt a child with fetal alcohol syndrome or other traumas will need ongoing education and support as part of their lifetime commitment to this special child. In addition, peer support programs are growing and becoming increasingly effective and powerful.
Click here to read more.
The Kim Foundation Awards 2011 Grants
By
Julia Hebenstreit, J.D. | Administrative Director
The Kim Foundation is pleased to report that the recipients of our annual grant cycle have been selected! While we receive many worthwhile funding opportunities, we are unable to fund them all. We applaud each organization that works tirelessly to serve and advocate for those impacted my mental and behavioral health issues.
Click here to see this year’s grant recipients.
At Ease USA Celebrates Successes, Looks Toward Future
At Ease USA, a program created in partnership with Lutheran Family Services to assist active military, veterans, and their loved ones in receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and related disorders, has a lot
to be proud of. Since 2009, the program, which offers counseling services, group support programs, and community support, has helped more than
200 clients across the state with amazing results. According to program evaluation results, 100 percent of clients have reported a reduction in
risk behaviors.
“The idea of At Ease is to remove as many of the obstacles as possible
that prevent active military, veterans, and their families from getting care
for post-traumatic stress disorder and other behavioral health issues,” At Ease Founder Scott Anderson said. “It is estimated that only 30% to 35%
of military entitled to VA benefits for PTSD ever pursue getting help. What
we want to do is to make sure that the people who need care, get it,
and particularly that they get care that it is well-documented and
proven to be effective.”
The stigma of receiving care for mental health issues is often a barrier that prevents many military personnel from getting the care they need. In an
effort to reduce this barrier, At Ease is 100 percent confidential. Because
the program is comprised of therapists who volunteer their time, low costs allow At Ease to offer its services at cost effective rates or for free. No one is turned away due to their ability to pay. Another key feature of the program is that unlike other civilian organizations, everyone who works with At Ease has a military connection which allows them to better understand the needs of the client.
Click here to read more.
A Center Providing More than Just Hope
The New Hope Life Center, founded by Kathleen McCallister in Omaha, Neb. was formed in the hopes of assisting individuals who are committed to overcoming past failures and regaining hope as they reenter the community. New Hope offers both residential and non-residential programming for women who have previously been incarcerated, suffered from addiction, or who suffer from mental illness. Almost 90 percent of the women who utilize New Hope’s resources have been previously incarcerated.
According to McCallister, the beginning of New Hope Life Center was nothing short of a miracle and only took several weeks for the residential home to become a reality. “I began to see this intense reality of the failure of women who didn’t have good support systems trying to reenter the community after they’d maybe completed treatment but didn’t have the social network necessary to support them, support life” McCallister, Director of
New Hope said.
It was apparent that the Omaha community was in need of a Christian-based facility that would provide women with a wholistic recovery program involving faith, community, and life skills. New Hope served more than 300 contacts this past year in both the correctional facility and the residential home.
Click here to read more.
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Vol 01 | January |
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Kim Foundation Multimedia Resource Library
The field of mental health is constantly changing and evolving. As new discoveries are made, research is refined, and services are expanded,
it is imperative to stay informed of the latest advances.
Through
The Kim Foundation multimedia resource library, information gathered from educational conferences, research studies, as well as helpful books, videos, and audio resources are available for your reference and to share with others.
Please check out this special section of our Web site frequently as we will be adding to it regularly.
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