ReCAST
In September of 2016, the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health, in partnership with the City of Saint Louis Health Department and the Saint Louis Mental Health Board, was awarded a five-year, $4.7 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – a division of the federal Department of Health and Human Services. St. Louis is one of ten communities that have received funding nationwide.
The initiative, Saint Louis ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities after Stress and Trauma), funds efforts in the federally designated Promise Zone, which encompasses 28 North St. Louis County municipalities and 11 North St. Louis City wards. Promise Zone residents 11 years of age and older are recruited to take part in ReCAST’s participatory budgeting approach to develop, score and monitor micro-grant awards in four specific areas: violence prevention, youth engagement, peer support, and mental health.
Since its launch in January 2017, ReCAST has built a strong presence in the community and awarded over $2 million for community projects. Over 3,000 residents have participated in the process, making services like parenting classes, work readiness programs, after-school activities, and peer support groups available in the Promise Zone.
ReCAST recognizes residents as subject matter experts and values the voices and perspectives that individuals can share. Residents that participate in ReCAST are trained in facilitative leadership, racial equity, trauma awareness, and proposal development, scoring, and evaluation. When the initiative ends in 2021, ReCAST is hopeful of leaving a legacy that demonstrates the exceptional value of inclusion and self-advocacy in the delivery of public services.
All efforts combine to build a foundation that promotes well-being and community healing while improving access to behavioral health resources. ReCAST is excited to be part of a strong coalition working to make St. Louis a stronger, healthier, more resilient community.