Social Work Commons^™

Project Empower: An Innovative Approach To Community Behavioral Health Service Delivery, Saundra H. Starks, Elizabeth L. Jones, Suzie T. Cashwell, Karissa Stokes

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Project EMPOWER was a grant funded initiative designed to positively impact a rural community by providing behavioral health services and case management to low-income families. An interdisciplinary service team comprised of behavioral health specialists and graduate level interns in the fields of social work, psychiatric nursing, and counseling worked to provide services under the supervision of a doctorate level clinical social work professor. Community partnerships were forged to increase opportunities for community members to have accessible, affordable services. Using an empowerment model rooted in systems and integrated practice, the services included assessments, referrals, group, individual and family counseling, child care, …