Nonprofit’s new mental health initiative funded by cannabis grant
Long Island-based human services nonprofit WellLife Network (WLN) has launched its PlayWell Fund, a mental health initiative designed to increase access to extracurricular activities for youth and young adults ages 5 to 24 receiving behavioral health services in Suffolk County.
WLN was able to establish the fund after receiving a $100,000 grant through the New York State Office of Cannabis Management’s (OCM) first round of awards made by the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund (CGRF), which was created to reinvest tax revenue from the legal cannabis industry into communities and populations harmed by harsh drug policies, higher levels of criminalization, and social and economic disadvantage.
“Programs like the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund are so crucial to these efforts and we are grateful to the Office of Cannabis Management for selecting our project as a recipient of this grant, as it would not be possible without it,” said Sherry Tucker, CEO of WLN. “Seeing the tax revenue promised to our communities come to fruition in such a tangible manner is refreshing, as it will benefit countless underserved New Yorkers.”
A total of $600,000 was awarded to six Long Island projects through this debut round of awards for the CGRF, and $2.6 million in total was awarded to mental health-focused programs throughout New York State. WLN’s new program, which will cover the costs of participation in sports, arts, music, and educational programs, will be one of the first examples of cannabis tax revenue being reinvested into the Suffolk County community.
According to WLN, the program will be monitored through application and enrollment data, feedback from participating families and youth, and tracking mental health outcomes through standardized assessments.
