Novi Community Coalition enhances its mental health programming through its vision to help ensure that individuals and families are supported and strengthened through quality practice from the newly awarded grants.

The Novi Community Coalition (NCC) is one of 42 award recipients announced by Oakland County Executive David Coulter as part of the recipient organizations to share nearly $8.5 million of the $10 million Oakland Together Mental Health and Wellbeing Non-profit Grant Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. This grant, administered by United Way for Southeastern Michigan, is focused on expanding mental health services to Oakland County residents.

This funding will allow the NCC to expand their mental health program called NCC Cares. NCC Cares incorporates standards from the Principles of Family Support Practice, Strengthening Families Framework and Approach, and promoting Protective Factors. This will include a new Community Resource Coordinator who will identify barriers and solutions needed to help individuals and families be successful and self-sustaining and connect them to needed resources working with them every step along the way.

The NCC Cares program will also include the implementation of the evidence-based national program Parents as Teachers Home Visiting Program that promotes healthy development, school readiness, support for the parent-child relationship, and family well-being for children and families, prenatal through kindergarten. It gives support and the skills to parents and families so they can reach their full potential, both developmentally and emotionally and build resilience to support positive mental health and wellbeing.

NCC Cares will also:

• Build resilience and coping skills through actual tangible “toolboxes” filled with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies to help all ages learn self-regulation and coping skills.
• Photovoice is a group-based learning environment for people who want to create change in themselves, connect to their communities, and build self-confidence. Photovoice uses photo-journaling as an empowerment tool to break out of isolation and repression by telling your story through imagery and self-expression. All entries will be displayed in a public mosaic and a printed book will include many of the images.
• Mental Health First Aid Safe Talk Training for youth, parents, and community members.
• NCC Share your Story
• Presentations on mental health topics through the Novi Mental Health Alliance group.
• Enhanced work with the students from the Novi Student Mental Health Committee.

The Novi Community Coalition is a non-profit organization that partners with other community organizations to promote health and well-being with evidence-based prevention and early intervention techniques which can reduce both the incidence of mental health and substance use conditions and the duration and disability associated with them through prevention, education, recovery, and support.