MONDAY MEMO #38
- Resilient Georgia
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Happy Monday, partners! Welcome to another edition of the Monday Memo. We hope everyone is enjoying their summer and finding time to relax and rejuvenate, as fall is right around the corner. This week, we’re sharing a wide array of resources for educators, caregivers, and rural communities, as well as professional development and training opportunities. Before we dive in, here are some updates and highlights from the RG Team:
RG UPDATES
August Lunch & Learn: Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education: Join us Thursday, August 14 from 12:00–12:45 PM on Zoom for our next Lunch & Learn featuring Kathleen Da Silva and Matt Smith from the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE). They’ll share how GPEE’s initiatives—including EdQuest Georgia, Regional Summits, Community Asset Mapping, and the Rural Learning Network—help align education and workforce strategies across the state. This session will highlight the powerful role of community, health, and environment in shaping educational outcomes and economic opportunity. Please share with your educational partners and email Alex English, aenglish@resilientga.org, to request an invite.
ACTION ITEM! Youth Event Outreach Form: CWC Alliance and RG are currently identifying aligned partner organizations and youth-centered events across Georgia where we can collaborate, support, or co-deliver programming focused on substance misuse prevention and youth mental health. If your mission and programming align, please complete this form with information about any upcoming youth events over the next year! Bonus: Complete this form by August 1st to be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift card! For questions, please reach out to Phylicia Hancle, Youth Program Director, at phylicia@cwc.ngo. Please share this form widely with your youth-serving partners!
Whose Responsibility Is It to Address Mental Health? A Common Good Forum: Amid a national mental health crisis, this article from Common Good Mag interviews four people – a psychologist, a public health official, a policy advocate, and a pastor – to see everyone's perspectives and roles they play in creating healthy communities. The article questions experts on defining the mental health crisis, the responsibility to heal or intervene, the role of churches in the crisis, policy changes, and overall mental health concerns.
Coalition Highlights
Resilient Communities of East Georgia: Expanding Resilient Teens to Coastal Georgia RCEG has received a $50,000 grant from the Georgia Health Initiative to expand the Resilient Teens program to the Resilient Coastal Georgia region, serving Chatham, Bryan, and Effingham counties. This effort includes collaboration with the Medical College of Georgia campus in Savannah and local Family Connection Collaboratives. Congratulations on this exciting new partnership!
ARCHI: Join ARCHI at Friendship Baptist Church for their next quarterly breakfast on August 15 from 8:30–10AM for a meaningful morning focused on youth mental health, featuring insights from leading voices across the region. Following the session, they are offering a free Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® training from 10AM–12PM, with a grab-and-go lunch provided. CRM is an evidence-based approach that teaches practical tools to manage stress and trauma, helping individuals and communities build resilience and support trauma-informed environments. Register here!
Education
Georgia House Bill 268 Mindworks Policy Brief: The Mindworks team has released a new policy brief on Georgia’s House Bill 268, a comprehensive school safety and student mental health bill developed in response to the tragic incident at Apalachee High School. The brief outlines key components of HB 268, including expanded mental health services in schools, mandated panic alert systems for emergency response, and improved student data tracking. Check it out and share widely!
Cell Phones & Teens: Exploring Policies & Practices in Georgia Schools-GPEE: Join Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and Emory Rollins School of Public Health for an event focused on adolescent cell-phone use, well-being, and academic success with political, academic, and community speakers. The event is Thursday August 14 from 8 AM –2:30 PM. Register here.
Hiring Interns
Partner with Emory’s REAL Program: The Rollins Earn and Learn (REAL) Program at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health offers a unique opportunity for organizations to hire highly skilled graduate students at half the cost. Emory covers 50% of each student’s salary, while your organization pays the remaining 50% for part-time work from September to May. This is a fantastic way to build capacity while supporting the next generation of public health leaders. We encourage our partners to explore this opportunity—it's affordable, impactful, and a great way to invest in future talent! Learn more and get started here or email real@emory.edu.
Parents and Caregivers
Community Café Facilitator Training: Strengthening Families Georgia is offering a free online Community Café Facilitator Training to support parent engagement and social connections. Community Cafés—also known as Parent Cafés—create safe, welcoming spaces for caregivers to connect, share, and support each other through meaningful conversations. This self-paced, 3-hour course equips participants with tools to build resilience, foster social connections, understand child development, and promote children's emotional well-being. Prerequisite training is also free and online. Enroll now!
Professional Development
CTIPP Community Advocacy Network July Meeting: Join the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice’s CAN call on Wednesday, July 16, from 2-3:30 PM on Zoom. These free monthly calls open to all offer a space for connection, networking, and resource sharing within the trauma-informed community. CTIPP is also launching a new Youth Advocacy Initiative to equip young people with the tools and training to lead trauma-informed change. This upcoming curriculum will support youth in sharing their stories, advocating for healing-centered policies, and driving systemic transformation in schools, communities, and beyond.
Alliance Fellowship Program – Advancing Perinatal Mental Health Equity: Postpartum Support International’s Alliance Fellowship Program supports mental health professionals of color in expanding access to culturally responsive perinatal care. Through training, mentorship, and community-building, fellows gain tools to better serve families of color and address systemic disparities in perinatal mental health. This program strengthens the pipeline of diverse providers and promotes healing-centered, equitable care across communities. Please share this fellowship with your networks! Apply by July 31st!
Georgia Family Support Network: Standards of Quality Training: Join the Georgia Family Support Network for a free two-day virtual training on Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening and Support happening August 27–28. This training explores how to integrate the Principles of Family Support Practice with the Strengthening Families framework and its five Protective Factors to better support families. A great opportunity for professionals looking to enhance their family engagement practices.
Rural News
Rural Central Georgia Better Health & Fitness Together (BhFiT) Project ECHO Series: Join the Morehouse School of Medicine on July 23rd at 12 PM via Zoom for the next session of the Rural Central Georgia Better Health & Fitness Together (BhFiT) Project ECHO Series. This session will focus on integrated behavioral healthcare in rural communities, featuring expert insights and best practices for improving access and outcomes. Register here!
Mental Health Cuts to Hit Rural Schools: AJC The current administration cancelled school mental health grants across the country, hitting mental health services in rural schools the most. The mental health grants were installed under the Biden administration with the intent to help schools hire more psychologists, counselors and other mental health workers, prioritizing rural areas and providers from diverse backgrounds. Read the full story here.
Exploring Pride and Support of LGBTQ+ Young People in Rural Communities: This research by HopeLab suggests LGBTQ+ youth living in rural regions experience feelings of isolation and struggle to connect with others that affirm or share their identities. A few key findings include LGBTQ+ young people in rural areas report more depression than suburban/urban peers and turn towards online environments to find support. Download and read the report here or read an article covering the report here.