MONDAY MEMO #35

Resilient Georgia
Jun 23
5 min read

Happy Monday, partners! Welcome to another edition of the Monday Memo. We are excited to share another list of resources, but first, here are some highlights from the RG Team:

RG UPDATES

June Lunch and Learn: Thank you to everyone who joined our June Lunch and Learn! Elaine Miller-Karas and Dr. Michael Sapp from the Trauma Resource Institute shared how the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) can support healing during and after disasters through practical, neuroscience-based wellness skills. If you missed it, you can view the recording and slides. We’d also love your input on this session—please take a moment to complete the evaluation survey to help us continue offering meaningful learning opportunities.
Tier 1 Prevention Services Survey: The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health & Wellbeing at Georgia State University is extending their brief 5 minute survey and participants can receive a $50 Walmart giftcard! The purpose is to identify universal prevention (tier 1) services, activities, and programs being implemented in schools and communities across Georgia. Access the survey here.
New Blog! Mind Over Matter: Cultivating Resilience Through Gratitude and Self-Care: Members of the Mind Over Matter HOSA (Future Health Professionals) chapter in Forsyth County, GA have put together a blog post of key messages they’ve shared with their peers throughout the school year. Mind Over Matter HOSA have been actively promoting mental health awareness among high school students over the past year with initiatives like a bake safe fundraiser. Read the blog post here to learn more about embracing gratitude and prioritizing self-care to safeguard our mental health and wellness while also creating a supportive environment and mindful community.
Updated 2025 Conference List: If you’re looking for opportunities for professional development and networking, click here for our updated list of conferences!

Coalition Highlights

Join Cobb Collaborative for Session 6 of the 2025 Capacity Catalyst Series: From Clicks to Contributions: Optimizing Your Donation Page for Nonprofit Success on Thursday, June 26 at 3 PM. Led by Ronald Pruitt of 4aGoodCause, this virtual session will share proven strategies to boost online donations and enhance your giving experience. Attendees will also receive a comprehensive Donation Page Audit Checklist with 95 best practices. Click here to RSVP and take your fundraising to the next level!

Child Wellbeing

The Annie E. Casey Foundation, known for research on children and young people, has prepared a comprehensive analysis of child well-being across all 50 U.S. states. The report highlights improvements in areas like child poverty, teen birth rates, and health insurance coverage since 2019, but there have been declines in reading and math proficiency, preschool enrollment, and chronic absenteeism since 2019. The report underscores geographic disparities for children in the South and Southwest compared to children in the Northeast and Midwest. Read through this report here to learn about the latest trends in child well-being since 2019.

Healthcare

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is launching a Trauma-Informed Pediatric Care and Resilience Promotion ECHO series, beginning June 25, 2025. This weekly virtual series will equip pediatricians and pediatric clinicians with tools to effectively address childhood trauma and build resilience in patients and families. Sessions run Wednesdays from 12:00–1:00 PM ET through August 6. Participants can earn 7 CME and 7 MOC Part 2 credits. Register here and help spread the word! For questions, contact Robinn Yu at ryu@aap.org.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for Community Health Workers: Georgia Watch and SPCC Atlanta AHEC are offering free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for Community Health Workers, equipping them to support individuals facing mental health or substance use challenges. Upcoming virtual sessions will be held on July 9, August 6, and September 3 (9 AM–2 PM), with an in-person session in North Georgia on October 4 (8 AM–4 PM). Don’t miss this opportunity to build your skills—register here!

Federal Updates

Last month the House of Representatives appointed new leadership to the Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, signaling renewed commitment to collaborative mental health policy in the country. A joint letter signed by Caucus NACo and the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors called for counties’ critical role in funding and delivering mental health services. The letter urges the Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus to advance several key legislative priorities. Read the full article here.

Proposed Cuts to Federal Disaster Assistance Will Hit States Just as Hurricane Season Ramps Up: The current administration is proposing changes to disaster-related costs nationwide ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, shifting the financial burden to states rather than federal support. This article analyzes FEMA disasters from 2008 to 2024, finding that the changes proposed by the current administration would reduce the number of qualified declared disasters and leave states and local governments with $41 billion in public assistance spending. All states will be greatly affected by these funding changes, but states with large populations and significant disaster losses will be most impacted. Read the full report here.

Funding

The Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation is renewing their fund to support ten U.S.-based, local organizations serving the mental health of those in need. Qualifying non-profits should be registered 501c3 non-profit, existed for at least 1 year, have a stated mission that focuses on direct access to mental health care or have a program with a stated focus on direct access to mental health care operating in the United States, and be nonpartisan. Eligible applicants are invited to submit a short proposal for a grant to fund their work. Proposals are due July 1 - apply here!

The AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation is dedicated to preventing and mitigating adverse childhood experiences by granting yearlong project grants up to $250,000. The foundation prioritizes nonprofit organizations that work to end ACEs with geographic and financial requirements - see the website for full details. Proposals are due June 25, 2025, apply here!

Professional Development

Grant Series Workshops: Join Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson for his 4-part Series Grant Workshop between August 11- August 14, at 1 PM each day. Workshop topics are (1) Grant Writing 101: Finding Funding & Drafting the Project Narrative, (2) Grant Writing 201: Budgeting, Evaluation, and How to Become Competitive, (3) Finding Alternative Resources (Resilient & Innovative Funding) (4) Understanding the Community Project Funding Process. Attendees may attend as many workshops as they’d like, register here.

Rural Health

Podcast Highlight: Health Wanted – Rural Health & the Opioid Crisis This Health Wanted episode, produced by WABE and Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, explores the health challenges facing rural communities, including the impact of the opioid epidemic. Host Laurel Bristow is joined by Dr. Hannah Cooper, Chair of Substance Use Disorders Research at Emory, who provides valuable insight into rural health disparities and substance use trends. The first segment includes helpful stats and messaging our team and partners may reference in advocacy conversations. This episode may also offer strategic value in connecting with Dr. Cooper as a potential collaborator in our opioid misuse prevention efforts. Listen to the episode here.

Suicide Prevention

The CDC offers two powerful resources to support suicide prevention efforts nationwide. The Suicide Prevention Resource for Action outlines evidence-based strategies to reduce risk and promote resilience across communities, while the Suicide Prevention Communication Playbook provides a step-by-step guide for developing effective, behavior-change-focused messaging campaigns. Together, these tools help organizations and advocates create impactful, coordinated approaches to prevent suicide and support mental well-being. Additionally, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) recorded a webinar on how to Apply Motivational Interviewing in Suicide Risk Assessment.