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St. Charles Grant Funds Target Loneliness & Isolation

BEND, OR -- St. Charles wants to address loneliness and isolation with a new grant program. The initiative comes after the U.S. Surgeon General warned of potential problems faced by lonely people, saying there could be ‘grave consequences'.

St. Charles Behavioral Health Services director Molly Wells Darling tells KBND news it can lead to serious health problems, “Loneliness and isolation is associated with higher rates of things like stroke, heart disease, dementia, in addition to an increased risk of premature death associated with loneliness.”

She says St. Charles Health System facilities try to identify these issues, “We have behavioral health consultants embedded in our primary care clinics to assist patients who are struggling with loneliness or isolation or mental health conditions in order to hopefully see an impact on their health as a whole.”

The goal is to address the root causes sooner. Over the next three years, St. Charles will direct thousands of dollars in funding to Central Oregon organizations that foster a sense of belonging.

“We’re looking at organizations that are excited and willing to help bring people into communities, and start addressing the sense of belonging all the way across Deschutes County, and Crook and Jefferson, as well,” says Community Partnership officer Angela Saraceno, “Non-profits are eligible to submit a grant, all the way down to community neighborhood associations.”

Grant information can be found at the St Charles website.

 

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