Human Services fund awarded $1.8 million

POMEROY–The Garfield County Human Services (GCHS) have been awarded up to $1,800,000 from three entities, A Group Health Foundation ($175,000), Department of Commerce ($1.5 million) and Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative ($125,000) to help develop and continue greater human-health service opportunity for the immediate area.

A Group Health Foundation $175,000 grant is strictly for use in Garfield County, and can be used for any need. One goal is to hire a front office person with case-management duties for the Pomeroy office. The position had been previously cut several years ago. It is hoped that bringing a full-time person back into the office will help increase referrals. The funds will also be used to implement Pathways, which is a linking program for referrals for any needs for a client’s daily life that are not currently being met. Also, they will bring in a new tele psych medication management provider for one afternoon per week.

The agency has also received a $1.5 million grant through the Department of Commerce, which is for brick-and-mortar facility needs. An additional building has been purchased in Clarkston to expand services, providing needed space for more children’s behavioral health services.

A prevention grant through Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) has helped fund prevention programs managed by Sarah Meyers, which have proved successful in making positive impacts in Garfield County. Meyers will also be applying for a new prevention grant through the Drug Free Communities support program, for $125,000 per year for five years. This will allow the agency to add more prevention programs in Pomeroy that are not already offered.

Other potential grants Meyers seeks are the Youth Marijuana Prevention and Education and Mental Health Promotion, which are programs provided by the Pomeroy School District and Garfield County Health District. There is currently enough funding for a half-time intervention specialist in the school through the end of the year, and QBH will continue to apply for grants so the position can continue beyond that. QBH was also just awarded the management of a prevention program in Asotin County, which will allow them to hire someone like Meyers to run that program.

Presently, GCHS provides services by telephone and Zoom meetings. According to Clinical Director of Quality Behavioral Health (QBH) Danika Gwinn, a substance abuse clinician, sexual assault advocate, a therapist, a mental health provider and prevention programs are available. She also gave a future improvement update to the Garfield County Commissioners during the same meeting.

All services currently offered through the Pomeroy office are by telephone only, however clients may request a zoom meeting. Through Phase 3 of the governor’s Safe Start Plan, the GCHS can re-open, and have chosen to begin with a “slow re-opening.” Public Health guidelines for rendering services, which includes drug testing and dispensing medications through drive-up services remain in use. The agency has experienced some difficulty providing services for young children, but adult services are being maintained.

Currently, the Pomeroy office has a substance-abuse clinician one day per week, a community sexual assault advocate and therapist one day per week, a mental health provider two days per week, on Thursdays and Fridays, and Sara Meyers, who heads up the prevention programs, is in the office on a full-time basis.

The Summer Youth Program, which experienced its best attendance ever last summer, is cancelled for this summer. They will start planning for next year.

The Pomeroy office has also received a makeover with new paint inside and outside, new carpet, and new desks. They are ready to bring more services to Garfield County.