Mental Health Education and Community Connections

M. Adams, J. Ellis, B. Greenstein, J. Kelly, B. Levy, S. Reyes, L. Rincon, S. Rakowsky, A. Singh, B. Upton, M. Venkatesh, and E. Wacker
Introduction

Discussion

Results

Background
The Freestore Foodbank, located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, is the largest in the Tri-State
area. In 2014, the organization provided more than 20 million meals over 3 states and 20 counties.1 The Freestore
Foodbank provides many services including, emergency food, housing services, direct rent, benefit acquisitions,
payee services, clothing vouchers, and more. The population in Over-the-Rhine predominantly identifies as black or
African American (73%) and has an income over the past 12 months that fell below the poverty line (68%).2 Many
low-income individuals do not receive mental healthcare, despite the need.3 Cost and lack of insurance are
significant barriers, but the stress of having to juggle several competing obligations also results in the de-prioritization
of mental health treatment.4
Previous Work
Last semester we surveyed Freestore Foodbank clients about their mental wellness and asked them to share
about stressors, utilized resources, and the community needs. We identified a significant population struggling with
stress, anger, and poor mental health. This population desired a safe space to be connected with community
members and resources.
Target Population
Our target population was individuals who utilize the Freestore Foodbank. Though the foodbank provides many
different services to its clients, many of the clients share similar social and financial difficulties, which can affect their
mental wellness. The purpose of this project was to connect community members while providing tools to manage
daily stressors; therefore, we did not limit our target population to a subset of the clients at the Freestore Foodbank.
Instead, we provided small group classes focused on a variety of community needs.

Not At All
Interested

20%
40%

Neutral

20%
20%

18%

Not Very
Interested

46%
36%

Interested

Not at all
Likely

Learning Objective
Learn about the intricacies of problems plaguing OTR residents and if the resources offered can successfully help
the residents. Previously, the people we interviewed feel a deficit between their needs and the resources they are
currently utilizing/are aware of. Through this project we can better determine if this deficit is because people are not
well connected to the proper resources or if the the proper resources do not exist in this area.

Methods

43%
57%

Not Very
Interested

Not Very
Interested

10%

Likely
Very Likely

Figure 2. Post-survery: How

likely to use what was
learned from the Support
System Class (n=7)

30%
60%

50%

Very
Interested

Very
Interested

Community Impact
Short term
Provided community members with important information about their mental wellness while also providing the opportunity
for open dialogue and discussion about their life stressors.
Long term
This was a pilot program to see what types of classes would interest individuals who frequented the Freestore Foodbank.
This program could potentially be implemented long term to serve more community members.

Figure 5. Pre-survey:
Interest in Medication
Management Class (n=4)

Not at all
Likely

Barriers and Solutions

Barrier: We had some difficulty finding experts who were available during the times we had tried to schedule our classes,
and had to cancel a class because no one was available to teach the class.
Solution: Try to find more individuals who work in the Over-the-Rhine area, as it might be easier for them to make it to
the sessions. Additionally, this would make access to these resources easier for those who utilize the Freestore
Foodbank.
Barrier: While attendance was adequate at each program, in the future, higher attendance numbers would allow for better
group discussion and program evaluation. Clients were concerned that if they attended the program they would lose their
place in line at the foodbank.
Solution: Increase sign-ups ahead of time so individuals would be coming for the class and would not be worried
about losing their spot. This could be done by having more recruiting done before each class or conducting a survey
to see if there is a better time that would work for those interested in attending.
Barrier: It was difficult to provide individuals with all the information we wanted to and still answer their questions in the
short amount of time we had in each session.
Solution: Turn the one day class in to a 2 or 3 week session where we could provide additional information. We
could also repeat classes for those who could not attend.

Not at all
Likely
Not Likely

25%

Neutral

Neutral

75%

Likely
Very Likely

Figure 4. Post-survey: How

likely they were to use what
they learned in the
Nutrition Class (n=10)

What we learned
Clients at the Freestore Foodbank are aware of their stress and its negative impact on their mental wellness, but are unsure
of what steps to take to combat their stressors. Additionally, they know resources are available to them, but are unsure of how
to access them. Individuals appreciated when information was provided to them during open discussion or in game format,
rather than as a presentation. They also found the handouts with resources on them helpful because they could bring the
information home with them. Feedback from attendees suggest that they would like to see more videos, real-life scenarios, and
information on medical support.

Neutral
Interested

Not Likely

Neutral

50%

Interested

Figure 3. Pre-survey:
Interest in
Nutrition Class (n=11)

Figure 1. Pre-survey:
Interest in Support
System Class (n=5)

Not Likely

Service Objective
Connect community members experiencing similar daily stressors and mental health problems to one another in
order to create a thread of community engagement and cohesion and a space to learn about available resources.
We hope to measure success through session surveys to determine if they (1) learned about a new resource that
can pertain to their situation and (2) if they feel connected and encouraged by their peers, who also attended the
group session.

Not At All
Interested

Neutral

Very
Interested

Objectives

Not At All
Interested

Our results show that attendees of our sessions were genuinely interested in the topics being presented and felt that the
information provided to them could be implemented in their lives.

Likely
Very Likely

Figure 6. Post-Survey: How

likely they were to use what
they learned from
Medication Management Class (n=4)

Next Steps
We can best serve the community by working with Freestore Foodbank to analyze the positives and negatives
that were seen during our pilot program to improve and sustain the mental wellness programs.

Pilot Survey

What do you plan on implementing from todays wellness session?

Personal Interview Survey

Focus Group
Small Group
Recruited local experts to lead
discussion on topics determined
by previous results.

Discussions facilitated by
medical students.

Used flyers and incentives

related to class topic to recruit
participants.

Pre- and post-surveys were

administered to acquire
feedback from participants.

Building a Support System

Small Group

Healthy Eating as it Relates to

Stress Small Group

Navigating the Healthcare

System Small Group

Discussed the importance of family

relations and other social support
systems to promote stress
management and mental wellness.
Discussion led by Leslie Calhoun from
Crossroad Health Center.

Discussed the impact of stress on

eating habits and the relationship
between the diet and wellness.
Discussion led by Jalisa Holifield from
Freestore Foodbank.

Discussed tips on efficiently

establishing healthcare appointments
and health insurance to reduce
stressors associated with the
healthcare system.
Discussion led by Patricia Wigle from
UC College of Pharmacy.

Acknowledgements

Building a Support System

Small Group

Healthy Eating as it Relates to Stress

Small Group

Navigating the Healthcare System

Small Group

Visit Physician

Pay attention to stress level

Visit Physician

Supported in part by USPHS Grant #1UL1TR001425-01 from the National Center for Research
Resources, NIH. Special thanks to the Freestore Foodbank for their collaboration, especially Bob Littman.

References
1 2014

Follow Medication Regiment

Keep healthy snacks

Follow Medication Regiment

Learn about insurance benefits

Manage stress without turning to food

Eat healthier

Maintain overall health

Utilize exercise as stress management

Seek and follow advice on remaining

healthy

Annual Report Edition of the Connection by Freestore Foodbank. Freestore foodbank website.
http://freestorefoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/FSFB-NL_AR-2.4.15.pdf. Accessed
November 12, 2015.
Over-the-Rhine Census 2010. City of Cincinnati City Planning website. http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/
planning/linkservid/B5547015-A0F1-CB62-3D788CC10EA7C3BD/showMeta/0/. Accessed November
12, 2015.
2

Figure 7. Summary of qualitative data collected after the classes

Behavorial Health Services. Medicaid.gov website. http://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chipprogram-information/by-topics/benefits/mental-health-services.html. Accessed November 12, 2015.
3

4 Santiago

CD, Kaltman S, Miranda J. Poverty and mental health: How do low-income adults
and children fare in psychotherapy? Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2012; 69(2): 115-126.