Grant Overview For ReCAST Cycle I
The first cycle of ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma) was a 5-year $5 million grant awarded to the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) from 2018 – 2023.
Mission:
Advance equity and trauma-informed approaches for vulnerable youth and families through community-driven strategies grounded in healing and safety
Vision:
Investment in the inclusion, success, and overall wellbeing of all citizens
Goals:
Community Healing · Equitable Access · Strengthen Community Systems · Build Capacity · Culturally Appropriate
Major Activities
The first cycle of ReCAST focused on community-led engagement, increasing awareness of the impact of stress and trauma, expanding common language about trauma and resilience, and promoting trauma-informed strategies to support youth and families.
Click here to see the Final Evaluation Report for ReCAST Cycle I.
Scroll down to learn more about key pilot programs during the grant project period.
Faith Healing Hubs
Funded Navigators in faith-based organizations to connect youth and families to behavioral health and other support services
- Funded four Faith Healing Hub sites
- Served 22,000 individuals and families
- Engaged 6,000 at-risk youth and families in prevention and support services
- Certified Navigators in Mental Health First Aid
- Provided referrals and in-house services for behavioral health, COVID support, support groups, food access, and health-related prevention/awareness
Youth Violence Prevention Initiative
Funded youth-serving organizations to adopt the CDC VetoViolence model, trauma-informed practices, and resiliency approaches into existing work
- Funded 4 local community-based organizations
- Provided capacity building assistance to an additional 9 youth-serving organizations
- Served 5,000 youth
- Hosted 80 violence prevention events
- Activities focused on community engagement, skills building for youth, connecting families to services, and providing counseling for youth and parents
Trauma-Informed Care and Resilience Training
Expanded knowledge, skills, and common language of trauma-informed practices and resilience strategies among residents and service providers
- Hosted 120 trainings
- Trained 2,600 community residents and service providers – 35% of participants attended two or more training sessions
- Trained 395 educators and school staff in resilience strategies across 72 schools
- Provided advanced support for 17 local organizations to adopt trauma-informed care approaches via the year-long Trauma Informed Learning Community
What's Next?
A new cycle of ReCAST grant funding was awarded to the Mecklenburg County Department of Public Health in December 2022 and will focus on expanding the collaboration between ReCAST and the Office of Violence Prevention.