Montana, USA – Global Health Equity Foundation and Montana State University Billings (MSUB) are pleased to announce an $120,000 grant from the National Institute for Health for Let’s Talk Billings. The National Institute for Health’s grant is to support GHEF’s “Let’s Talk” project in Billings Montana and a study of its efficacy. Professor Sarah Keller will lead the team of researchers from MSUB studying the project.
Let’s Talk is a community based media project – meaning that it is supported and driven by the community – to address the high rate of depression and suicide in Montana. GHEF launched Let’s Talk is in Miles City in Eastern Montana and is now replicating the project in Billings. The project encourages community engagement and open discussion about depression and suicide through youth education and engagement. In Miles City, Let’s Talk has provided artistic workshops, a club, and after school activity for youth as a safe environment and outlet for their feelings.
To capitalize upon the success and learnings from Let’s Talk Miles City, GHEF is implementing Let’s Talk in Billings. The bulk of NIH funding will go towards researching, quantifying, and reporting on the benefits of Let’s Talk for the community. MSUB will look for markers of success, such as a growth in awareness of mental health resources and increased interpersonal communication related to depression.
GHEF Founder and President, Dr. Tayeb Al-Hafez, says, “the NIH grant is fantastic. It is a testament to the Community Based Media Project model and the success of Let’s Talk Miles City. This grant offers GHEF tremendous support to evaluate, improve and implement this valuable project in other cities.”
For more information on Let’s Talk Miles City, please visit www.letstalkmilescity.org and www.ghef.org to watch our Educational Media Tool, a documentary on the community that made Let’s Talk Miles City such a success.
For More Information Contact:
press@ghef.org
(406) 233-4043
Global Health Equity Foundation is a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of people who lack access to health education, prevention services, and healthcare. For more information on Global Health Equity Foundation or any of its projects, please visit www.ghef.org.