Department Of Health Says It Has Money To Giveaway

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Department of Health has monies to giveaway, but no one seemed to have wanted these funds based on the low turnout D.O.H. Director of Public Relations Nykole Tyson told The Consortium Saturday an interest meeting garnered.

But the funds are not to be given out without reason; the monies are to be used to create substance abuse relief and awareness/prevention programs in the areas of underage drinking, prescription drug use, and suicide among veterans and their family members, Ms. Tyson said in a press release issued Sunday. Therefore, D.O.H. is asking nonprofits and what the press release described as “community organizations” to attend a second round of interest meetings, where the eligibility and application processes will be explained.

“We invite and want the local community organizations and private business sector to take advantage of the money we are federally mandated to distribute,” said Michelle S. Davis, D.O.H. commissioner. “Community and faith-based organizations in addition to schools/students, the university [UVI], and the private sector/business community are invited to find out how they can receive the monies that the Department of Health has been awarded.”

The interest meetings will be held on Tuesday here on the first floor of D.O.H.’s Charles Harwood Complex in Richmond, Christiansted from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. And in St. Thomas on Thursday at the Schneider Regional Medical Center’s Second Floor Conference Room from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., according to information provided by D.O.H.

Federal funding

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) has awarded D.O.H., Division of Mental Health, Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Services a five-year (2015 – 2020) Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success grant.

The purpose of this grant is to assess, identify, implement and strengthen best-fit (evidence-based) prevention interventions that will improve substance use outcomes and achieve targeted community change, according to D.O.H. The program joins and builds on other territorial initiatives and prevention-focused community efforts envisioning and pursuing health, safety, and success for all of Virgin Islands children and adults, says the release.