Missouri Mental Health Foundation Inc

RAISE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS OF ISSUES IMPACTING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. ALSO TO BATTLE DISCRIMINATION, STIGMA, PROMOTE CARE AND TREATMENT, AND FOSTER INCLUSION IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE.

ST. LOUIS OPIOD OVERDOSE REDUCTION GRASSROOTS PROJECT: FATAL OPIOID INVOLVED OVERDOSES AMONG BLACK MEN AND WOMEN HAVE INCREASED IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS EVERY YEAR SINCE AT LEASE 2019. IN 2020, THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA ACCOUNTED FOR 82% OF ALL FATAL OVERDOSES OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI. RATES OF FENTANYL-INVOLVED DEATHS CONTINUE TO BE HIGHEST AMONG BLACK MALES IN ST. LOUIS CITY. TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING INCREASE IN OVERDOSE FATALITIES THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH REQUESTED ASSISTANCE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO REDUCE THESE DEATHS. DMH AGREED TO PILOT A RADICALLY INNOVATIVE INSIDE/OUT APPROACH TO EMPOWER AND BUILD CAPACITY OF "GRASSROOT" BASED ENTITIES AS VIABLE PARTNERS. THE IDENTIFIED PRIMARY INVESTMENT STRATEGY WAS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS/COMMUNITIES WE HOPE TO POSITVELY IMPACT ARE THE EXPERTS AND RECOGNIZING THE HARD WORK THAT IS OCCURRING BOTH FAITH AND NON-FAITH GROUPS IN COMMUNITY, OFTEN WITH FEW RESOURCES AND UTILIZING VOLUNTEERS, AND NOT SUSTAINED BY CONTRACTS OR GRANTS. THE MISSOURI MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION COLLABORATES WITH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR EFFORTS.

MEDIA CAMPAIGN: THE MISSOURI MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION (MMHF) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING BROAD-BASED PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS SERVICES. SUCH SERVICES INCLUDE PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE MATERIALS AND ASSISTANCE AT VARIOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS, CONFERENCES AND TRAININGS. MMHF PARTNERED WITH A MARKETING FIRM FOR REBRANDING, INCLUDING A NEW LOGO, BRANDING DESIGN, WEBSITE, MARKETING MATERIALS AND OTHER ITEMS. IN ADDITION, MMHF SUPPORTED A STATEWIDE BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN PROVIDING MESSAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND AWARENESS ADS REGARDING MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. ALSO, MMHF IS CREATING A NEW TOOLKIT INCLUDING TALKING POINTS, PROMOTIONAL ADS FOR ORGANIZATIONS HOSTING A SCREENING, RESOURCE MATERIALS, AND PRESS RELEASES FOR THE NOT MY CHILD FILM PROJECT. MMHF ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THIS FISCAL YEAR, REACHING MANY MISSOURIANS.

THE FOUNDATION OFFERS MANY OTHER CONFERENCES AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE DIRECTOR'S CREATIVITY SHOWCASE IS AN ANNUAL EVENT WHICH DISPLAYS THE ARTISTIC TALENTS OF PEOPLE SERVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. IT ALSO SERVES AS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATE AND ALL WHO EXPERIENCE THE CREATIONS. THE SHOWCASE HELPS ACQUAINT THE PUBLIC WITH THE TALENTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE ANNUAL REAL VOICES, REAL CHOICES CONFERENCE IS A MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER-BASED CONFERENCE HELD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. THE GOAL OF THE CONFERENCE IS TO INFORM, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, WHO RECEIVE SERVICES THROUGH THE VAST ARRAY OF PROVIDERS SUPPORTED BY THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. THIS CONFERENCE ADDRESSES A BROAD RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL TOPICS TO SUPPORT THE CONSUMERS, AND PROMOTES INDIVIDUAL CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES.