The Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded Healthcare Council a COVID-19 Economic Impact and Recovery grant to create the Crisis Employee Support Program (CRESP) for healthcare workers at 9 faith-based long-term care members of Healthcare Council.
“Our long-term care centers have been particularly affected by this deadly virus, and the women and men who have cared so bravely for the residents of these centers deserve our full support,” said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. “This creative and collaborative idea from the Healthcare Council will provide thousands of frontline workers with mental health support, financial support, and basic sustenance, to help them get through this difficult time. This was an important idea that the Foundation was eager to support.”
Healthcare Council serves as the “hub” for the CRESP program and coordinates the program with the leadership of the 9 member organizations and partners delivering the support services. The 9 member organizations include: Baptist Homes, Bethlen Communities, Jewish Association on Aging, Lutheran SeniorLife, Presbyterian SeniorCare, Redstone Presbyterian SeniorCare, Reformed Presbyterian Home, St. Anne Home, and Vincentian Collaborative System.
The focus of the work/life area is to provide access to food with assistance from partners including: Cura Food Services, Marburger Farm Dairy, Reinhart Food Service, The Food Trust, and The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. For the financial support area, Citizen’s Bank will offer free online financial literacy classes. In the emotional/mental health area Pittsburgh Mercy has designed a mental health assessment and will share best clinical practices. Strategy Solutions, Inc., will conduct employee assessments and program evaluation.
For the full press release click here.