The Division of Race & Equity initiated a process to strengthen the capacity of mental and behavioral health providers and community cultural healers to provide services to community residents who may be experiencing increased stress and trauma related to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. We established a $200,000 COVID-19 Emergency Mental Health Fund to support these efforts. Our goal is to provide short-term relief to those who are experiencing crisis and whose ability to receive in person help is either limited or not existent at this time. Providers were able to apply between $2500 - $7500 to meet these needs. 

The Division of Race & Equity contracted with 29 organizations who are providing care to those who live and work in Minneapolis. Services that are being provided include but are not limited to psychotherapy, group healing circles, counseling, mentoring services, resource sharing, and peer support. Many of the organizations who have been funded through the Division of Race & Equity’s COVID-19 Emergency Mental Health Fund are continuing care with existing clients who are no longer able to meet in person as a result of social distancing, and several of them are also expanding their services to reach a larger population. 

The Division of Race and Equity’s ReCAST Minneapolis program set aside $100,000 to support community-based projects centered on addressing the needs of youth across Minneapolis. Building upon the success of its 2018 Resilience 365 participatory budgeting project, the Division collaborated with the Youth Coordinating Board’s Youth Congress to design this year's effort. Projects funded through this effort must meet the goals set by the Trauma Troopers, a team of youth researchers with whom the Division contracted to conduct interviews and focus groups with over fifty youth (ages 14-24) from North and South Minneapolis. Youth serving organizations can submit project/event proposals that occur in North, South, & Cedar Riverside neighborhoods starting June 30. We will fund eight projects, two in each category, for $12,500.

Youth were asked to identify what stress and trauma looks like in their life, share about their experiences with trauma in their community as well as their access to trauma-informed resources.Based on the interviews, the ReCAST Minneapolis program identified four areas where youth feel unsupported: law enforcement, public transit, community support, and communication around trauma. Additional context for each of these areas is below. To address the gaps in youth-centered, trauma-informed services, youth from the Minneapolis Youth Congress teamed up with ReCAST to develop this participatory budgeting process. Youth will be provided an opportunity to vote on how ReCAST funding can support projects that address trauma within the youth community as well as show youth how the City of Minneapolis supports community decision-making around vital issues. 

Voting results

The votes are in for the Change for You(th) participatory budgeting process! We've tallied the votes and are excited to announce the projects YOU chose to fund. With the help of over 1,000 youth voices, we were able to determine which projects receive funding. The total amount of funding across all four categories is $100,000.

How to Talk to Youth about Trauma

• Telling our stories, claiming our power: Healing in practice for Teens interested in Health, Wellness & Health Careers
• Minnesota Muslim Helpline Project
• Culturally Specific Trauma Healing Listening Sessions

Community Support

• Minneapolis Youth Olympics
• Get Paid for Your Music and Sacred Women’s Gatherings

Youth Interactions with Law Enforcement

• Talking It Through: A Latino Youths
• Bad Boys 3: A Triple Entendre Multi-Media Experiential Learning, Listening, & Healing Project

Youth experience with Transportation

• “The Bus Fun” Photovoice Project

Youth PB Recipients 2019

As a result of funding only one project under the Public Transportation category, we awarded the remaining $12,500 to the project with the most votes, following the top seven projects. Many great projects were presented in this process, unfortunately we are not able to fund all of them. However, we will continue to look for ways to partner with the projects that were not selected in this process. Please keep your eyes peeled for future funding opportunities!