Potomac Health Foundation funds human trafficking and mental health projects

Lives will change; many will flourish and find new paths after grants from the Potomac Health Foundation are put to work.

Prevention of Teen Trafficking
Prince William County Public Schools will continue to lead the fight in the prevention of teen trafficking, thanks to continuing support from the Potomac Health Foundation. The Foundation has awarded a grant of $74,719 for the coming year, bringing its funding commitment to $206,935 for this campaign.

A grant last year funded an active outreach and awareness campaign which included public service announcements and a billboard along Route 1 in Woodbridge.

The second-year project focuses on prevention of physical and emotional trauma experienced by victims of human trafficking. Through an education and prevention initiative, youth are identified and have opportunities to receive coordinated care from supportive community organizations.

“PWCS has received national recognition for this program including a trip to Capitol Hill and a successful partnership with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as well as, two articles in the Washington Post.” We are the first school division in the state to roll out a lesson for students. A public service announcement targeting parents will soon be released as part of an expanded media campaign,” said Elizabeth Young, PWCS supervisor of school social workers.

“Teens are roped into this world through methodical and intense psychological manipulation,” said Jessica Woelkers, a PWCS social worker on special assignment for Human Trafficking Prevention. “An older individual will pose as an older boyfriend who uses a powerful combination of love and fear to keep the teen under his control.”

Mental Health Services for Students At-Risk
A grant of $86,236 will provide third year funding to an initiative that offers coordinated mental health support for at-risk youth. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a total of 13% to 20% of children living in the United States experience a mental disorder in a given year.

Schools are uniquely positioned to identify and intervene with students who are experiencing difficulties before they rise to crisis levels.

Through this project, identified at-risk students will be assigned a dedicated case manager who will provide individualized family support, facilitate coordination of care, and monitor the student’s needs over time.

This targeted case management approach will improve outcomes and maintain consistent transition support, improving the capacity of schools to support the needs of students with mental health issues.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Sciences
Osbourn Park High School received a Potomac Health Foundation (PHF) grant of more than $57,000 to support the new Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Sciences program at the school.

This contribution will purchase equipment and consumables for the new series of PLTW coursework, providing students with access to modern medical teaching equipment.

The project supports the national emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and is designed to increase the number of students pursuing healthcare professions.

Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics cite healthcare as the fastest growing industry in the nation, with an anticipated job growth of 29% between 2012–22, as compared to the average of 11% growth for other industries.

This translates to approximately 22 million new jobs by the year 2022. In 2013, the Virginia Workforce Connection estimated a 35.4% increase in healthcare employment by 2020.