PITTSBURGH, PA (December 28, 2021) Mayor William Peduto and the Office of Community Health & Safety has announced the opening of applications for the Neighborhood Health & Safety Academy. The 2-month Academy will provide 20 community members with education and training, empowering residents to continue to play an active role in providing for the health, safety, and wellbeing of their neighbors. Applicants will participate in 10 sessions and receive a $600 stipend for their time. Pittsburgh residents are encouraged to apply here. Applications will be reviewed following the January 31st, 2022 application deadline.
In July 2021, the Office of Community Health and Safety announced a $17,500 grant awarded by the Staunton Farm Foundation to launch a Neighborhood Health & Safety Academy. While community members are intimately familiar with the needs of their neighbors and neighborhoods, knowing the most effective way to meet those needs can be a challenge. The Neighborhood Health & Safety Academy will provide education and information focused on housing, substance use and harm reduction, mental health, food security, violence prevention, police and criminal justice reform, homelessness, aging, and youth empowerment. Participants will also have access to free certifications and skills training in CPR, opioid overdose care, naloxone administration, mental health first aid, de-escalation, bleeding control, federal benefits application workshop, public housing application workshop, sexual assault survivor assistance and advocate training, financial empowerment, and motivational interviewing.
“Community members are uniquely positioned to identify and understand the needs of their neighbors and are often best suited to provide assistance,” said Mayor William Peduto. “The Office of Community Health & Safety is exploring innovative ways to prevent crises before they occur. The Neighborhood Health & Safety Academy will empower residents who are already leaders within their communities to become more effective helpers and address the needs of their neighbors.”
Joni Schwager, executive director of the Staunton Farm Foundation said, “As a Foundation, we are committed to investing in the wellbeing of our neighbors and proud to fund the Neighborhood Health & Safety Academy pilot to support the first class of leaders.”
About the Staunton Farm Foundation
The Staunton Farm Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people who live with mental illness and substance use disorders. The Foundation works to enhance behavioral health treatment, support, and recovery through grant making to nonprofit organizations in 10 southwestern Pennsylvania counties (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland).
