Patty Bowler

And so we really need to work with our community partners to better understand mental health. And Stan, one thing I'm... cognizant of is, you know, there's mental health treatment, like therapy, one-on-one therapy, and that is super, super important. But it's also like, what do we do in the broader community?

And so we really need to work with our community partners to better understand mental health. And Stan, one thing I'm... cognizant of is, you know, there's mental health treatment, like therapy, one-on-one therapy, and that is super, super important. But it's also like, what do we do in the broader community?

And so we recently provided funding to 14 community-based organizations for them to provide mental well-being supports to in the community. And that could be things like healing circles. We worked with Black Family Blueprint just recently, and they did a series of healing circles with African American mothers in the community.

And so we recently provided funding to 14 community-based organizations for them to provide mental well-being supports to in the community. And that could be things like healing circles. We worked with Black Family Blueprint just recently, and they did a series of healing circles with African American mothers in the community.

We're working, I don't know if you're familiar with the Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute, but they are working with community or neighborhood organizations such as the Central Neighborhood Association and the neighborhood around George Floyd Square to really understand trauma and what the impacts are. of trauma have been.

We're working, I don't know if you're familiar with the Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute, but they are working with community or neighborhood organizations such as the Central Neighborhood Association and the neighborhood around George Floyd Square to really understand trauma and what the impacts are. of trauma have been.

So part of Cara's work is to put together a work plan on behalf of our health department to kind of figure out, you know, how do we do a little bit more laser focus on community mental well-being. I mean, it's so vast. It's like chronic disease prevention. It's suicide prevention. It's trauma. It's a billion things.

So part of Cara's work is to put together a work plan on behalf of our health department to kind of figure out, you know, how do we do a little bit more laser focus on community mental well-being. I mean, it's so vast. It's like chronic disease prevention. It's suicide prevention. It's trauma. It's a billion things.

And so just the other point that I want to, based on what the work that I do as somebody who works on policy, Beyond kind of the programmatic approach, are there policy things that we can do in Minneapolis to improve mental well-being? And I can't tell you exactly what that is because we're on that journey. But I see Clarence has his hand raised.

And so just the other point that I want to, based on what the work that I do as somebody who works on policy, Beyond kind of the programmatic approach, are there policy things that we can do in Minneapolis to improve mental well-being? And I can't tell you exactly what that is because we're on that journey. But I see Clarence has his hand raised.

Yeah. I would echo what Cara said. Um, so, uh, we haven't really talked about our internal trauma informed work much, but, um, Cara is going to be she is leading a leadership team. So one of the seven steps of becoming a trauma informed organization is to pull together champions in the department. And they aren't necessarily like in leadership positions. It's it's all across the department.

Yeah. I would echo what Cara said. Um, so, uh, we haven't really talked about our internal trauma informed work much, but, um, Cara is going to be she is leading a leadership team. So one of the seven steps of becoming a trauma informed organization is to pull together champions in the department. And they aren't necessarily like in leadership positions. It's it's all across the department.

So we have an administrative support people involved. We've got some program staff. We've got some finance staff. We have some leadership. but it's to really work with that leadership team. We've been on this journey since 2019, but you know, like 2020 happened and Stan knows this.

So we have an administrative support people involved. We've got some program staff. We've got some finance staff. We have some leadership. but it's to really work with that leadership team. We've been on this journey since 2019, but you know, like 2020 happened and Stan knows this.

I mean, you're just the pandemic and everybody knows this, but if you're in public health, the pandemic, we just had to stop everything and focus on the pandemic. And one thing I will really say, I'm sorry, I'm deviating from your question, Clarence, but we, mental wellbeing was such a huge thing during the pandemic. And we as a health department were We felt inadequate to address it.

I mean, you're just the pandemic and everybody knows this, but if you're in public health, the pandemic, we just had to stop everything and focus on the pandemic. And one thing I will really say, I'm sorry, I'm deviating from your question, Clarence, but we, mental wellbeing was such a huge thing during the pandemic. And we as a health department were We felt inadequate to address it.

I just have to say that. And so we're grateful now that CDC and others have recognized that they need to fund public health more robustly in order for us to do this work. But so, yes.

I just have to say that. And so we're grateful now that CDC and others have recognized that they need to fund public health more robustly in order for us to do this work. But so, yes.

Yeah, so thanks for that question. Well, clearly prevention. I mean, that's what public health is all about. But I will say, so we run a network of eight school-based clinics in eight high school settings, and we offer therapy to our students. And when I first started a long time ago, school, our school based clinics, by the way, have been operational for 40 years.

Yeah, so thanks for that question. Well, clearly prevention. I mean, that's what public health is all about. But I will say, so we run a network of eight school-based clinics in eight high school settings, and we offer therapy to our students. And when I first started a long time ago, school, our school based clinics, by the way, have been operational for 40 years.