John Rex Endowment Awards More Than $1M in Grants to Support Positive Mental Health and Injury Prevention

John Rex Endowment announces more than $1 million in grants for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and Youth Thrive to support positive mental health in Wake County. In addition, a planning grant has been awarded to UNC Department of Pediatrics for an injury prevention project focused on child maltreatment.

Project Enlightenment, a program of WCPSS, will receive $764,418 to expand Triple P – Positive Parenting Program® (Triple P) and increase the capacity of community partners to promote positive mental health and prevent child maltreatment. WCPSS previously received a $2 million grant from the John Rex Endowment for initial implementation of Triple P in Raleigh. The additional funding supports a broader reach of Triple P in Wake County with a target of 20,000 parents and caregivers.

Youth Thrive, a community collaborative that promotes the success of youth in Wake County, has been awarded a $270,792 grant to convene and build capacity of Wake County youth-serving professionals with a focus on ensuring third-graders read on grade level, preparing students for college and career, and eliminating youth suicides and bullying. Youth Thrive was initially funded through a $1.25 million grant from the John Rex Endowment.

UNC Department of Pediatrics will receive $70,000 to plan for the implementation of Safe Environments for Every Kid (SEEK) in six pediatric clinics in Wake County. SEEK is a primary care program that systematically identifies and addresses child maltreatment risk factors.

“We are committed to investing in activities that are effective in supporting the positive mental health of children and prevention of childhood injuries in Wake County,” said Kevin Cain, president and CEO of the John Rex Endowment. “We are building on successful collaborations to address the connections and concerns related to adverse childhood experiences and the future health and well-being of today’s children.”

Since 2013, the John Rex Endowment has awarded more than $8.5 million to support positive mental health of children and $2.6 million for childhood injury prevention.