Community Impact Grant Awarded to FRN

Contributed by Christina Fournier, FRN Administrative Coordinator

In May 2010, despite the challenge of constrained state funding, Fellowship Health Resources Fall River Network (FHR FRN) began a new initiative called the Healthy Lifestyle Program. A tribute to the new program’s success, the United Way of Greater Fall River awarded a Community Impact Grant to the agency for its continuous efforts in the development and implementation of innovative services within its Rehabilitation & Recovery Group Program (RRGP). A service within a full array of mental health services provided through Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS), RRGP is funded through a contractual arrangement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Department of Mental Health.

The kickoff event for the Healthy Lifestyle Program was a successful Health and Wellness Fair, which utilized a public health approach to sharing important health information. The fair also served as an opportunity to assess interest from participants related to potential future activities. Given the significant level of interest expressed by participants, FRN clinicians and RRGP staff developed the Healthy Lifestyle Program curriculum. It includes a variety of activities and groups, each designed within a unique timeframe.

For individuals who are beginning to think about changing health behaviors, but are difficult to engage or non-committal, the committee created singular, or discrete, groups. For those who are ready to make lifestyle changes, the program offers groups that are more intensive and occur over protracted lengths of time to promote learning and assimilation of learned material into actual day-to-day behavior. The intensive programs operate from four to six weeks and, at their conclusion, FRN honors each participant at a graduation ceremony, where the graduate receives a “Certificate of Completion.” Currently, Healthy Lifestyle groups include smoking support (held weekly and on an ongoing basis), nutrition, exercise, cooking & eating smart, dance/movement, and healthy expression & stress management.

As part of the Healthy Expression & Stress Management Group, FRN has begun to develop Studio 35. A program that began in FHR’s Cape Cod and Islands Region, Studio 35 encourages the use of various artistic media to assist individuals in better managing stress, as well as realize overall better health outcomes. The funds received from the United Way Grant will further support the development of the arts and FRN’s Healthy Lifestyle Program.