Copper Shores Community Health Foundation is bringing back the $100,000 request for proposal (RFP) for Mental and Behavioral Health Services, Including Substance Use Disorders. The RFP is now open, and applications are due May 13, 2024.
“We are proud to continue to provide support for mental and behavioral health services in the Copper Country,” said Rebecca Crane, senior program director at Copper Shores. “The demand for mental health services, especially those that are specialized, is greater than what therapists in rural areas can often supply.”
Copper Shores’ intention is that this RFP will fund the creation, support, and promotion of access to programs and services that educate, promote, and support individual choice of healthful activities and behaviors, raise awareness and education about unhealthful behaviors, and promote collaboration and connection between prevention and other mental health needs in the community.
"Emerging in healthcare is the realization that what we traditionally considered mental health challenges have a significant overlap with physical and social health challenges," said Brian Rendel, a program director at Copper Shores.
The need for both therapy and alternative forms of care persists in the Copper Country. By bettering access to services and programming through community grants, Copper Shores also gains insights on the specific service gaps that need to be addressed. These insights in turn help shape programming at Copper Shores to better serve residents.
“We can’t help every single person in need of mental health services, but we can empower other groups to take on and help more people,” said Crane.
While not required, Copper Shores recommends that all interested applicants submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) in order to determine if a project matches the funding interests and is suitable for formal grant consideration. The LOI deadline is April 2.
This is the second year Copper Shores has offered this RFP. Below is a list of the three projects that were funded in 2023.
Implementation of a new program among law enforcement in Baraga County that connects police officers to mental health professionals, advice and de-escalation techniques that help people remain at home.
Funding for a vehicle for safe transportation to and from a program held at BCMH called Senior Life Solutions, a multifaceted approach including therapy, education and wellness-focused programming for seniors in Baraga County.