January 27, 2014 - The Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation announced that the Department of Psychiatry is one of 31 organizations in the country awarded grants to address problems of child abuse and domestic violence. An annual grant of $30,000 will be used to establish a mobile bridge therapy program to help children and families make the transition from inpatient care on 12 North to their home environment.
The hospital is hiring a part-time social worker to provide care in the homes of children during the weeks after they are discharged from the hospital. The social worker will help patients and families use the skills they learned on 12 North and link to services in the community. “Our aim is to help patients and families navigate the transition from hospital to home with continued therapeutic support,” said Angela Denton, LMSW, the 12 North social worker, adding that the weeks immediately following discharge are crucial for the child’s success. “Because of waitlists it can take a long time for families and children to get linked to community services, putting children at increased risk for readmission” she said. “This program will extend our treatment after discharge and provide continuity between the hospital and community.”
The program is targeted to support children who have experienced the trauma of abuse or domestic violence. “Many of the children on our unit have experienced abuse or violence in one form or another,” Ms. Denton said. “Without extended support, they may have difficulty returning to home and school.”
The grant is part of the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation’s Children’s Initiative. The foundation, which is based in St. Paul, MN, was established in 1950 by the descendants of lumber magnate Frederick Weyerhaeuser, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in American history. The foundation supports projects of national and international significance in the areas of education, health and the environment, with emphasis on projects that help women, girls, and their families overcome violence, poverty and other hardships.
The department will be eligible to extend the grant for another two years, for a total of $90,000 over the span of three years.