CINCINNATI — One local nonprofit is hoping to build a stronger community by addressing mental health. And now, they're getting $1.1 million to do just that.
In 2021 the U.S. Surgeon General declared a mental health crisis among the nation's children — and the Cincinnati area is no exception.
"Locally, here in Cincinnati, the youth mental health crisis has really continued to grow," said Jordan Huizenga, Vice President of Development with Beech Acres Parenting Center.
Beech Acres focuses on helping adults meet children's needs and create a nurturing environment for kids. With grants from the Millstone Fund, Huizenga said they can provide full mental health support to children in need and the adults in their lives trying to help.
"Our goal with the grant was to really bring our entire suite of services to a specific community," Huizenga said. "That grant is really gonna be used to provide mental health services ... but not only those services that are really critically needed but also the wrap-around support for the adults in that child's life."
Huizenga said he believes the COVID-19 pandemic really impacted children.
"Kids missed a lot of really critical developmental opportunities during that COVID period and now we’re seeing a lot of that fallout," he said. "Parents are in crisis right now, parenting is really, really challenging and really, really difficult."
That fallout is seen at home and in school. That’s why the grant also covers therapeutic services for students and adults in several Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky schools.
Beech Acres helps all types of parents — adoptive, biological, foster and more. They also work with teachers and other adults in children's lives. The hope is that by improving everyone's mental health, communities will also improve.
"Our hope is really to build a strong stable community and a strong stable neighborhood that is connected, that is vibrant, and that is thriving," Huizenga said.
If you wish to receive help from Beech Acres, you can visit their website for more information.
