The Eagle Counseling, Consultation and Research Clinic (ECCRC) in the School of Education at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has received a three-year, $1.24 million grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (Blue Cross NC Foundation) to launch Project HARMONY – an initiative focused on expanding mental and behavioral health support for youth.
Project HARMONY – short for Helping to Access Reliable Mental healthcare Opportunities for North Carolina Youth – will serve young people in Durham, Person, and Vance Counties through a multi-pronged approach that includes:
- Evidence-informed training using the Stress First Aid model.
- Telehealth counseling expansion.
- Youth engagement to enhance local awareness and community-based support networks.
- Development of research-practice partnerships (RPPs).
These efforts aim to eliminate barriers to receiving high-quality mental and behavioral health services across the region.
“We are grateful to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation for this generous grant that allows us to expand our efforts to support youth mental health,” said NCCU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon. “This investment will strengthen the work being done through our Eagle Counseling Clinic and help connect more students, families and schools with the resources and training they need to respond to today’s mental health challenges.
Building on ECCRC’s existing partnerships, the project will bring together educators, school counselors, social workers, psychologists, students, families and community leaders to expand its footprint. While initially focused on three counties, Project HARMONY aims to serve additional areas over time.
“We are appreciative of the support we’ve received from the Blue Cross NC Foundation and look forward to advancing youth mental health access across the region and state,” said Jeffrey Warren, Ph.D., School of Education associate dean and principal investigator for the grant. “In doing so, Project HARMONY will further solidify ECCRC as a hub for regional mental health care and wellness.”
This award is part of more than $4.5 million in Blue Cross NC Foundation grants aimed at improving mental health services for youth and their caregivers across the state. The foundation is prioritizing community-based solutions that train and empower a broader workforce, not just clinical providers, to recognize signs of mental health challenges and connect youth to the support they need.
“Youth mental health is one of the most pressing issues for North Carolina. Nearly half of high schoolers report feeling hopeless or sad every day, and yet we rank near the bottom nationwide for access to mental health care,” said Dr. John Lumpkin, president of the Blue Cross NC Foundation. “Investing in organizations that are developing approaches to address this issue now – despite current access and workforce challenges – is critical. We are grateful for this opportunity to support work happening on the ground in communities across the state to ensure that youth have the resources they need to ultimately lead healthier lives.”