Cranston nonprofit receives grant to provide COVID-19 services

A Cranston nonprofit is among the organizations that will share nearly $1.7 million in grants from the COVID-19 Behavioral Health Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation. The grants come as health care providers report a surge in stress due to the crisis.

“The health and economic effects of the pandemic are creating significant behavioral health challenges for too many in our community,” said Neil D. Steinberg, president and CEO of the Foundation. “We hope this funding gives our nonprofit partners the resources to help address the increases in depression, isolation, suicide and substance abuse that we are seeing during these challenging times.”

AccessPoint RI in Cranston will use its grant to support digitally enabled group and individual sessions, and on-call conferencing telehealth services. The organization expects to serve approximately 60 people with the grant, including children with complex medical needs and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and their families.

“Our clients are coping with increased behavioral health needs due to COVID-19. During the pandemic, we’ve had to completely change the way we think about how people engage for social, emotional and medical connections. We are used to in-person, one-to-one connections – seeing and being with others. COVID-19 changed all of that,” said Thomas Kane, AccessPoint’s president and CEO.

“What didn’t change, and, in fact, increased, is the need for individuals to maintain their physical and mental well-being during this time. Social isolation, disruption of familiar routines, fear of becoming infected with the virus and the loss of contacts are all causing enormous stress on the individuals, their caregivers and family members. Telehealth will allow us to provide safe support in real time with familiar and trusted providers,” he said.

This is the second round of grants from the COVID-19 Behavioral Health Fund at the Foundation, established by the state Office of the Health Commissioner (OHIC) with more than $5 million in funding from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Tufts Health Plan and UnitedHealthCare. The fund now has distributed more than $5.3 million in funding since May.

“It is critical that we use this funding from our health insurers to meet some of the elevated pressures and challenges that this pandemic has placed upon on our behavioral health care providers and the individuals and families that need these vital health care services,” said state Health Commissioner Marie Ganim.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with generous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $47 million and awarded a record $56 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities in 2019. Through leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.