Middletown invests COVID relief funds in family, mental health services
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MIDDLETOWN — Some $5.5 million of the city’s $21 million in American Rescue Act Plan funds was recently allocated to projects, including the expansion of summer and arts programming for families, and connecting those with mental health needs with key services.
U.S. Reps. John B. Larson and Rosa DeLauro held a round-table discussion Friday at the Russell Library with Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim, directors of the library, recreation and arts divisions, as well as the CEO of Gilead Community Services.
The grants, determined by the city’s American Rescue Act Task Force, will be used toward expanded evening and weekend hours at the senior center, a teaching artist mentorship program for teens, humanities enrichment programming for K-12 and home-schooled students, Mental Health Service Navigation program to assist residents, and accessibility upgrades at the library.
Already, the city has used $2.75 million for water and sewer improvements.
“When we first learned that this money was going to come, it was obviously sort of a shock for us in local government,” the mayor said. “It’s the first time in generations that this much of an investment was made on the local level. It’s not only once-in-a-lifetime funding, this is not something that happens every day or every generation, even.”
The mayor, however, cautioned the funds need to be allocated appropriately.
“It’s funding that needs to address generational challenges that we have had to solve since before COVID that were exacerbated by the pandemic, and now to make sure we lay the groundwork best,” Florsheim said.
The idea, Florsheim added, is to invest the money in programs that will benefit generations to come.
Larson likened the funds to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression.
“This has been the biggest investment by government — some would say it supersedes the money that was put forward during the New Deal. We believe this money is being better spent because it’s going to the communities,” Larson said.
Middletown Commission on the Arts Director Kisha Michael, Library Director Ramona Burkey and Director of Recreation and Community Services Cathy Lechowicz were among those who attended the meeting.
Lechowicz, Burkey and Michael are working mothers who realized the unique needs of families weren’t being supported during the pandemic, such as difficulties balancing home-schooling or remote learning with a professional life, Lechowicz said.
They came up with a proposal, “Healing the Heart, Mind and Soul of the City,” which earned $491,400 in support.
“Health is important,” Lechowicz said. “We saw the impacts of the pandemic on folks that were not as healthy. How do we reengage people to reconnect with their health — mental, physical and family?”
The senior center was at the forefront of helping connect with older adults early in the pandemic to make sure their needs, including food, health and safety, were being met, she said.
Staff also contacted a number of their clientele, helping them to get vaccinated, and offering transportation when needed.
“It was incredible — the loneliness, the isolation — and [figuring out] how to draw them back into our programs,” Lechowciz said.
“The goal is to host events, meeting people where they are in their communities. How can you connect using the arts as a tool to draw people in, and then incentivize them to come back,” Michael said of “Healing the Heart.”
“We need to rebuild the social fabric and connectivity in our communities,” Lechowicz added.
Michael talked about getting back to “tactile experiences” and addressing the social and emotional needs of youth during the pandemic. “Exposing and bringing to light art therapy, and reaching our young children and reminding them that play is important to living, to growing, to development,” Michael said.
“Get them off that cellphone and put toys and art supplies and resources into their hands. We realized that if the three of us join our forces, we can do that,” Michael said.
Gilead Community Services won $299,826 for its Navigating Wellness in Middletown initiative.
Studies show that one in every five people experience a mental health condition over the course of their lifetime, CEO of Dan Osborne said.
“These numbers are, unfortunately, not going down,” he said.
With the funding, Gilead can offer free service navigation to all city residents. The agency will also train every city employee in mental health first aid on tactics everyone can use in their jobs.
When people’s loved ones, friends or others need help, it’s often difficult to determine where to find which resources are best, Osbourne said.
The city has a number of organizations ready to help those with mental health needs, including Gilead, River Valley Services, Middlesex Health, Community Health Center and others, however, “the services are here, but people have no idea where to start,” he explained.
“They don’t know what they qualify for, and they certainly don’t know what they can afford or resources they have access to,” Osbourne said.
Other projects funded include:
Northern Middlesex YMCA Phelps Ingersoll Preschool, $350,000
Russell Library Rebuilding Community Connections, $250,000
Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Side Street to Main Street Business and Leadership Development Program, $181,290
Middlesex Health, “A New Home for Behavioral Health,” $250,000
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