Patty Bowler

Yeah, thank you, Clarence. And first of all, I just want to say that we're excited to be on the podcast. So I am a big fan of Clarence and all the work that he's done over the many years and the human partnership. And certainly Stan just contributed so much to our state as a Minnesota Department of Health partner. So thank you for having us this morning. We really appreciate it.

Yeah, thank you, Clarence. And first of all, I just want to say that we're excited to be on the podcast. So I am a big fan of Clarence and all the work that he's done over the many years and the human partnership. And certainly Stan just contributed so much to our state as a Minnesota Department of Health partner. So thank you for having us this morning. We really appreciate it.

being on this show or the podcast and talking about at least what one governmental partner can do. And that's the Minneapolis Health Department around mental well-being. And so just a little background. We've known that mental well-being in our community is a huge concern. And we, every three years we do what's called the community health assessment. And we're required to do that.

being on this show or the podcast and talking about at least what one governmental partner can do. And that's the Minneapolis Health Department around mental well-being. And so just a little background. We've known that mental well-being in our community is a huge concern. And we, every three years we do what's called the community health assessment. And we're required to do that.

We're an accredited health department and beyond the requirement, it's just a really good thing to assess community needs every, every, you know, so often. So what we've learned over and over again is mental health and mental wellbeing is super important for us as a local public health department to get involved in and pay attention to. But here's the kicker. We haven't always had the resources.

We're an accredited health department and beyond the requirement, it's just a really good thing to assess community needs every, every, you know, so often. So what we've learned over and over again is mental health and mental wellbeing is super important for us as a local public health department to get involved in and pay attention to. But here's the kicker. We haven't always had the resources.

We do provide mental health therapy through our school based clinics. And I hope to get into that a little bit later in the podcast. But what we're really focused on is what do we do from like a population health or community health perspective around mental health? And so. because of the pandemic, we were able to secure some new funding that came from the CDC.

We do provide mental health therapy through our school based clinics. And I hope to get into that a little bit later in the podcast. But what we're really focused on is what do we do from like a population health or community health perspective around mental health? And so. because of the pandemic, we were able to secure some new funding that came from the CDC.

So I think the CDC and our governmental leaders really at all levels recognized how important public health is in shoring up community health and well-being. And so we were able to get a workforce grant through the CDC. Again, it's COVID money.

So I think the CDC and our governmental leaders really at all levels recognized how important public health is in shoring up community health and well-being. And so we were able to get a workforce grant through the CDC. Again, it's COVID money.

And we used part of that workforce grant to hire Cara to serve in the role of somebody who could really be a point person around community mental well-being for a health department. And so that's her role. And that's huge because mental health we need to define it better. It's a huge topic area. So that's part of Cara's work. She's putting together a work plan.

And we used part of that workforce grant to hire Cara to serve in the role of somebody who could really be a point person around community mental well-being for a health department. And so that's her role. And that's huge because mental health we need to define it better. It's a huge topic area. So that's part of Cara's work. She's putting together a work plan.

And then secondly, beyond that, we wanna become a trauma-informed health department. And I know I want to talk about that in more detail later on in the podcast, but we know that we can't really serve our community who has been traumatized in so many ways unless we understand as a health department what trauma is, what the impacts are, and how it even affects our own staff.

And then secondly, beyond that, we wanna become a trauma-informed health department. And I know I want to talk about that in more detail later on in the podcast, but we know that we can't really serve our community who has been traumatized in so many ways unless we understand as a health department what trauma is, what the impacts are, and how it even affects our own staff.

who are reflective of the community. So Cara is also helping us become a trauma-informed health department. So those are really kind of the two parts of her job, you know, the community mental well-being piece, and then also the trauma-informed, helping us become a trauma-informed organization.

who are reflective of the community. So Cara is also helping us become a trauma-informed health department. So those are really kind of the two parts of her job, you know, the community mental well-being piece, and then also the trauma-informed, helping us become a trauma-informed organization.

Yeah, that is the million dollar question, isn't it, Stan? I mean, I would say public health, we're very disease specific and a lot of times our funding is disease specific. So, you know, we'll focus in on diabetes and we know that so many chronic conditions, we can trace them back to mental health conditions. So it's all interconnected.

Yeah, that is the million dollar question, isn't it, Stan? I mean, I would say public health, we're very disease specific and a lot of times our funding is disease specific. So, you know, we'll focus in on diabetes and we know that so many chronic conditions, we can trace them back to mental health conditions. So it's all interconnected.

So I would say, number one, it's how do we as a public health department understand trauma? And that would be a place for us to start, I think. Minneapolis has gone through a lot with COVID and then the civil unrest. So I think we're starting with what is our understanding of trauma? And then I would also say We as a health department, one of our core values is to partner with community.

So I would say, number one, it's how do we as a public health department understand trauma? And that would be a place for us to start, I think. Minneapolis has gone through a lot with COVID and then the civil unrest. So I think we're starting with what is our understanding of trauma? And then I would also say We as a health department, one of our core values is to partner with community.