Welcome to the Community Corner newsletter, a weekly update from Seattle Municipal Court’s Community Resource Center (CRC). This newsletter is distributed on Mondays and will give updates on CRC services, upcoming events, and other information for court-involved people, service providers, and all community members. While the CRC remains closed for in-person services due to our limited COVID-19 operations, we are still offering access to remote services.
In this week’s issue:
Grants available for formerly incarcerated individuals: The Washington State Department of Commerce’s Community Service Housing Division and the Governor’s Statewide Reentry Council, in partnership with the Revive Center for Returning Citizens, are providing emergency funding to support housing and essential needs for individuals who have been released from Washington State prisons within the past year. There is no guarantee of funds, and funds will be dispersed based on precedence and need. All funds will be dispersed by June 30, 2021. Individuals must have been released from Washington State prison in the past year and must show a hardship to be eligible.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month: Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 20.6% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2019, but only 43.8% of them received treatment. 20.5% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition, and 37% of adults incarcerated in the state and federal prison system have a diagnosed mental illness.
YWCA Virtual Resource Center: YWCA offers a virtual resource center Monday-Thursday, 1:00-3:00 p.m., with services including virtual case management, housing assistance and Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) assessments, employment assistance, and guidance for meeting personal educational goals.
Developing Anti-Racism Strategies in Behavioral Health Agencies: This 75-minute webinar on June 9 will discuss prioritizing racial equity in behavioral health agencies. Participants will take a critical look at the pervasive consequences of racism on health and the role of behavioral health agencies and all members of the agency in responding, as well as review dominant culture and institutional biases that may uphold inequities within agencies and strategize around dealing with change fatigue and resistance to essential anti-racist practices.
Summer activities: Check out some of the fun outdoor activities that will be reopening just in time for summer via Seattle’s Parks and Recreation. Outdoor pools, sprayparks, wading pools, beaches, meals for kids and more are tentatively scheduled.
View the full newsletter PDF here.
