Herzing University Awarded Grant for Wisconsin Youth Wellness Partnership with Milwaukee-Area Boys & Girls Clubs

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herzing University, a Milwaukee-based accredited nonprofit institution, was recently awarded the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment's (AHW) Seed Grants Award, marking the start of an impactful 2024 initiative to benefit the youth across Wisconsin communities. Through this funding opportunity, Herzing University will partner with The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin to develop and oversee a comprehensive health and wellness program.

The award includes a grant of $49,242 over one year which began January 1, 2024. Made possible by AHW and the Medical College of Wisconsin's Board of Trustees, this grant* is a testament to Herzing's commitment to making transformative change in youth wellness in the Wisconsin community.

Herzing's proposal, Seeds for Strong Futures: Nurturing Youth Wellness through Caregiver-Focused Education, identified the importance of educating and supporting caregivers, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering the well-being of Wisconsin's youth. The program aligns with AHW's mission by addressing critical aspects of youth development, both physically and mentally, through a targeted focus on caregivers, an often-overlooked component of successful youth advocacy.

"The primary objective of this initiative is to elevate the overall wellness of Wisconsin's youth, both physically and mentally," said Dr. Elizabeth Wilson, Social Work Department Chair at Herzing University. "The program emphasizes the crucial role caregivers play in influencing youth well-being. By providing targeted opportunities to caregivers, this initiative is set to improve communication and relationships within families, fostering a supportive environment for children in the Wisconsin communities and creating a template that others can emulate."

In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a mental health advisory on mental well-being, highlighting the challenges faced by youth nationwide. Herzing recognizes the urgency of addressing these issues and understands the pivotal role caregivers play in influencing the health and happiness of youth.

"Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is extremely grateful for the partnership with Herzing University and the Medical College of Wisconsin," said Toya Griffin, BGCGM Senior Director of Academics. "Our members seek to connect with the BGCGM staff, parents, and guardians in their everyday lives, as well as to have their opinions heard. We want to make sure that we are offering our members all the assistance and guidance we can because we are aware of how many people have a lasting influence on them."

This grant supports the development of a curriculum tailored to the specific needs of children, fostering enhanced communication and community-wide understanding. With the support of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, this program is positioned to develop informed caregivers and prepare them to meet the distinct challenges faced by the area's youth.

The Seeds for Strong Futures project is driven by a set of comprehensive goals aimed at achieving meaningful outcomes in youth wellness through caregiver-focused education. The project team from Herzing University and the Medical College of Wisconsin, alongside the project lead from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, will work collaboratively to:

• Provide Information on Existing Challenges: Develop innovative curriculum modules, led by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from Herzing University, covering topics related to physical, behavioral, and mental health challenges faced by youth.
  
  
• Deliver Comprehensive Curriculum Assessment: Conduct a thorough assessment of the curriculum's effectiveness and impact on caregivers' ability to address youth challenges, with feedback from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Herzing University Master of Social Work (MSW) students, and caregivers.
  
  
• Enhance University Student Engagement and Development: Involve high-performing MSW students in all project phases, from reviewing material to gaining leadership skills, ensuring exposure to the participant evaluation process, and contributing to ongoing program growth.

The project will utilize SMEs to develop an innovative curriculum covering crucial topics such as stress reduction, coping skills, safe social media use, depression, anxiety, and discrimination. The curriculum will be delivered through a hybrid format, combining virtual and in-person sessions to maximize engagement.

Herzing's MSW degree program students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in implementing a community-focused initiative. This experience allows them to directly contribute to the well-being of youth and families in our community, while also fostering professional growth and career readiness.

"As a community-focused organization, we understand the power of partnerships and strategic collaboration," Dr. Wilson shared. "In addition to our dedicated team at Herzing, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee share our passion for supporting the Wisconsin community through education and enrichment. We are stronger together, and this grant and the work that comes out of it are evidence of that."

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will be instrumental in implementing the initiative at the community level, while the Medical College of Wisconsin will be conducting a comprehensive assessment of the curriculum's effectiveness, ensuring the program's impact on caregivers' ability to address youth challenges.

"The Medical College of Wisconsin and I are truly excited to partner with Herzing University and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee to facilitate increasing provider skills to support the physical and mental health needs of Milwaukee children and adolescents," said Dr. Christopher Simenz, PhD, MS, Associate Director - Master's and Doctor of Public Health Programs for the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Efforts to begin this initiative are moving forward, starting the work in early 2024.

"As we embark on this transformative journey, we are grateful for our partners, and the opportunity to pursue projects we are passionate about," Dr. Wilson said. "Together, we are living out the Herzing mission of promoting a healthy workforce and providing our students opportunities to make an impact in their community."

*This project is funded wholly by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment.

Contact
Brett Gerrish
517-899-7795
[email protected]

About Herzing University

Herzing University is an accredited, private nonprofit institution with 11 campuses across eight states and an online division. Located in the heart of Milwaukee and founded in 1965, more than 45,000 alumni have graduated from Herzing's career-focused and flexible master's, bachelor's, and associate degree, and diploma programs. The new Herzing University School of Nursing also includes a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Students can also major in a variety of other fields including healthcare, technology, business, and public safety. For 11 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Herzing University as a leading institution for some of the top online programs in the nation. Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. More information about Herzing University is available at herzing.edu.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is one of the largest and longest youth-serving agencies in Milwaukee and the largest Boys & Girls Club in the country. With more than fifty locations in the city of Milwaukee, BGCGM provides youth ages 4-18 with safe, fun, enriching after-school and summer programming including academic support, mentorship, organized athletics, arts, and nutritious meals. Our programs strengthen academic performance, build character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and meet the basic needs of Milwaukee's youth. More than 80 percent of BGCGM's annual budget goes toward youth programming. Learn more at www.bgcmilwaukee.org.

About the Medical College of Wisconsin 

With a history dating back to 1893, The Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research, and community engagement. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in MCW's medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Central Wisconsin. MCW's School of Pharmacy opened in 2017. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In the last 10 years, faculty received more than $1.5 billion in external support for research, teaching, training, and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,600 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 2.8 million patients annually.

About Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) is a statewide health improvement philanthropy propelling promising work and ideas in health research, health care education, and community health initiatives to improve health and advance health equity in Wisconsin today, and for generations to come. Established by the Medical College of Wisconsin to steward a generous gift from Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin, AHW has invested over $335 million in more than 600 projects since 2004.

SOURCE Herzing University