Racial Equity Impact Analysis (REIA)
The Racial Equity Impact Analysis helps the City consider racial equity outcomes when shaping policies, practices, programs and budgets.
Uncompensated care grant for mental health services at the Health Department's School-Based Clinics - REIA
Section 1: Background
| Public Safety | No |
| Housing | No |
| Economic Development | No |
| Public Services | No |
| Environmental Justice | No |
| Built Environment & Transportation | No |
| Public Health | Yes |
| Arts & Culture | No |
| Workforce | No |
| Spending | No |
| Data | No |
| Community Engagement | Yes |
Our goal is to provide culturally sensitive and quality mental health care to adolescent clients and their families. We have received this funding for over the past 10 years. This is additional funding for this school year and new contract for 6 months until new RFP determines new awards. The funding is to cover the cost of care for uninsured adolescents.
Barbara Kyle School Based Clinic Manager
Section 2: Data
We were awarded funding to provide Mental Health Care to those uninsured adolescents attending Minneapolis High schools with a SBC which include Henry , Roosevelt, South, Southwest and Washburn high schools. These schools are racially and ethnically diverse and representative of the Minneapolis Public Schools as a whole. a: The SBC program serves high school clients in the Minneapolis high school districts, with 64% identified as females and 38% males in the age range of 14 years old to 21 years old. Clients are racially and ethnically diverse with 34% Black, 30% White, 21% Hispanic or Latino, 7% Asian, 3% American Indian, 3% Multi-racial. Many live in low-income households with over one-half (57%) students enrolled in the Free and Reduced Lunch program, indicating a family income below 185% of federal poverty guidelines. The students who attend these high schools live in various neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis, including areas beyond the immediate neighborhoods where the schools are located.
Currently over 70% of adolescents receiving SBC MH services are black, indigenous, Latino or other non-white ethnicities or identities. The students, families and communities we serve were challenged by significant health, educational and financial disparities before COVID 19 which have intensified these disparities and is showing to disproportionally impact communities of color.
Currently over 70% of adolescents receiving SBC MH services are black, indigenous, Latino or other non-white ethnicities or identities. The students, families and communities we serve were challenged by significant health, educational and financial disparities before COVID 19 which have intensified these disparities and is showing to disproportionally impact communities of color.
The data demonstrates significant disparities in health outcomes in rates accessing and receiving mental health services among BIPOC communities compared to white communities.
Minneapolis has some of the highest health outcome disparities in the country. The clients we serve are living with disparities in healthcare, education, housing, employment, and socioeconomics. Many clients with backgrounds reported above have never accessed mental health services before and may have negative stereotypes or stigmatized ideas of seeking support for emotional health. Others may have cultural beliefs systems that would not share the view of mental health as the medical model of western medicine. For these clients and families significant relationship building and trust needs to be developed prior to starting services and services must be culturally affirming and relevant. In many instances, it is the connection and relationship between the therapist and the client that gives greater chance for healing and growth. This means some nonbillable time must be spent prior to the start of psychotherapy and therapists must be trained and skilled to work across cultures.
Minneapolis has some of the highest health outcome disparities in the country. The clients we serve are living with disparities in healthcare, education, housing, employment, and socioeconomics. Many clients with backgrounds reported above have never accessed mental health services before and may have negative stereotypes or stigmatized ideas of seeking support for emotional health. Others may have cultural beliefs systems that would not share the view of mental health as the medical model of western medicine. For these clients and families significant relationship building and trust needs to be developed prior to starting services and services must be culturally affirming and relevant. In many instances, it is the connection and relationship between the therapist and the client that gives greater chance for healing and growth. This means some nonbillable time must be spent prior to the start of psychotherapy and therapists must be trained and skilled to work across cultures.
We are continually working to get updated data on adolescent wellbeing measures specific to Minneapolis and our client population. We will continue to work with the Minneapolis School Based mental health collaborative, the Hennepin county Children’s mental health collaborative , Minneapolis Public Schools , MN DHS and Minneapolis Health Research dept to improve evaluation of services and monitor trends among Minneapolis youth.
Section 3: Community Engagement
| Inform | No |
| Consult | No |
| Involve | Yes |
| Collaborate | Yes |
| Empower | No |
We continually ask for feedback on the work we are doing by directly connecting with teens in our schools. We regularly collect anonymous surveys from program participants to get input from them on what aspects of our programs are working and what could be improved. We also survey clinic patients overall on a semi-annual basis to ensure our services are meeting their needs and being delivered in a culturally affirming, supportive manner. We have a Teen Health Empowerment Council for the School Based Clinics, which is composed of student representatives from all of our main high school locations. They meet on an ongoing basis throughout the school year and provide feedback, solicit ideas from peers and bring back suggestions on health topics of greatest importance to them and their communities.
The SBC program understands that adolescents are our future and that addressing health disparities by providing early intervention, eliminating barriers and adolescent specific mental health care will support positive emotional and social development of youths. In doing so, youths are likely to stay in school and engage in academic activities, make good decision-making, and contribute to their overall health and wellness.
The SBC program understands that adolescents are our future and that addressing health disparities by providing early intervention, eliminating barriers and adolescent specific mental health care will support positive emotional and social development of youths. In doing so, youths are likely to stay in school and engage in academic activities, make good decision-making, and contribute to their overall health and wellness.
Section 4: Analysis
The primary outcomes of this programming are to identify, treat and promote positive mental health by addressing health disparities in Minneapolis, with a focus on reaching our BIPOC communities who are disproportionately impacted. We want to ensure that the resources provided through this programming are as accessible as possible, so we will continue to provide them in the school setting, in-person and virtually, at no cost, and as flexibly as possible to be able to meet young people wherever they are at. The School Based Clinics welcome all students, regardless of insurance status, documentation status, or other barriers that may otherwise prevent young people from seeking health care, including health education. This will support the City in achieving racial equity, by assuring that sexual health is a right for all young people, with a particular priority on reaching our BIPOC communities.
Section 5: Evaluation
Impacts will be measured in several ways. We will be complete CASII surveys every 3 months, collect service data ( # of completed therapy seissions) , treatment plan progress toward individual goal achievement from each participant to compare if gains in skills, knowledge and practices have happened as a result of participating in mental health services.
We will share our outputs and outcomes with members of our School Based Clinics Program team, and get their input and insights on what has been working from these efforts, as well as what can be changed or improved. We will also share data with MN DHS quarterly and other funders .