New PSA campaign
We have a new set of public health billboards and messages which will begin next week targeting proper water filter use and ensuring that residents check their filter cartridges frequently. Crossing Water data show that two of the key issues in many homes we've visited show that many residents have run hot water through their filters and others simply do not know when it's time to change out their cartridges. We hope the new PSAs on billboards throughout Flint will help clear some of that up. We are still accepting donations to help offset the significant cost of this critical public health campaign. You can contribute here:
https://www.crowdrise.com/crossingwaterworkingforflint
Expanded partnerships
We have also been in negotiations with Genesee Health Systems (GHS) to help train volunteers and staff throughout the city and to design an education training model that will give us a presence and offer consistent health information at all the water distribution sites throughout the city. We are at the beginning of this process and everyone is hopeful that it will bolster the relief response and offer a more in-depth and holistic intervention at these sites and help inoculate residents from further negative impacts from the water crisis. We are very optimistic about this development and hope to have programs up and running very soon. More to come.
Crossing Water Interventions and assessments
We have also been in discussions with GHS to partner with them in doing deeper mental health and social service assessments. This will allow us to strengthen our ability to give referrals quickly giving us a more direct pipeline to interventions by GHS social and mental health services. This is a developing story but one that has potentially significant positive outcomes not just for residents but will also help Crossing Water. This will allow us to share our caseload with GHS and expand our capacity to assess and seek treatment for those residents most in need. We are also looking at developing cross training opportunities between GHS and CW to further this collaboration. This is big news indeed!