WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday announced that the nomination process is now open for the 2024 Compassionate Champion Awards. The Compassionate Champion Awards recognize individuals, organizations, and educational institutions across the State of Delaware that provide trauma-informed services in a manner consistent with the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care.

Nominations can be submitted on the Governor’s website through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2024. Award winners and details for the recognition ceremony will be announced at a later date.

View the nomination form in English.

View the nomination form in Spanish.

The Compassionate Champion Award highlights individuals or teams in government, non-profit and private organizations, first responder professions, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, and other agencies that have taken steps toward providing services in a manner consistent with trauma-informed care. 

The award categories include:

• Government – Agency, division, team, workgroup, or individuals of State of Delaware, county, or municipal governmental agencies/organizations.
• Community Organizations – Non-profit or for-profit organizations providing support services to individuals, families, and communities. For example, this category includes faith-based organizations, organizations serving individuals with disabilities, homeless services, veteran services, elderly, and crisis intervention.
• First Responders – Organizations such as fire, law enforcement, Victim Services and EMT.
• Education (P-20) – Universities, colleges, school districts, schools, early childhood centers, daycare centers, and other educational institutions.
• Health Care – Includes agencies, providers, hospitals, or individuals providing trauma-informed care to service recipients.
• Other – Organizations that may not fit within the categories above.

Any individual, community partner, first responder, educational institution, state agency or other organization providing services to Delaware’s citizens within the State of Delaware is eligible for nomination. Applicants may nominate themselves or another individual or organization.

In 2018, the Family Services Cabinet Council implemented Executive Order #24, which launched efforts to make Delaware a trauma-informed state. As part of this initiative, Delaware is committed to ensuring all environments that serve children and adults in the state are working to embody practices of trauma-informed care. 

Based on the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care, trauma-informed care includes:

• Creating respectful, sensitive, and culturally competent environments;
• Implementing evidence-based trauma-informed principles and practices that address the effects associated with trauma;
• Developing a common language and framework for dialogue and discussion to enhance communication and progress along the continuum of trauma-informed care; and
• Increasing the effectiveness and responsiveness of all services and assistance provided to Delawareans, especially children and adults who have experienced traumatic circumstances.

View the nomination form in English.

View the nomination form in Spanish.

Questions about the 2024 Compassionate Champion Award can be directed to Melissa.Pongnon@delaware.gov.

View the 2023 Compassionate Champion Award winners.

Watch the 2023 Compassionate Champion Award Ceremony.

WILMINGTON, Del. –Governor John Carney, Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF) on Tuesday announced a $16 million investment to renovate and remodel Wharton Hall on the DSCYF campus.

The new facilities will be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). ARPA was championed in Congress by members of Delaware’s congressional delegation – Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester – and signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021.

“Our Children’s Department showed up every day during the COVID-19 pandemic to serve our community. These ARPA investments will help us support the work these public servants do every day and address a gap in behavioral health services,” said Governor Carney. “Thank you to Senator Carper, Senator Coons and Representative Blunt Rochester for their advocacy efforts on the American Rescue Plan Act that will help Delaware recover from this pandemic and make our community stronger.”

The goal of this investment is to add more in-state crisis beds and create a state-of-the-art, trauma-informed behavioral health diagnostic center to meet the complex needs of adolescents.

“Investing in our children means we’re investing in our future,” said Senator Carper, Senator Coons, and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. “Thanks to funds from the American Rescue Plan, which we voted to pass in March of last year, the State of Delaware will be able to completely renovate Wharton Hall on the Delaware Youth and Family Center campus. With these improvements, Wharton Hall will once again be able to provide much-needed support for Delaware children and their families.”

“Our children are faced with challenges every single day that affect their mental and physical health. Since the pandemic, mental health related visits for teenagers has increased 31 percent and suspected suicide attempts has increased 39 percent,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RNC, FAAN. “Ensuring we have a top-tier equitable system in place to support the behavioral health needs of our youth, especially when they are most vulnerable and in crisis, is one of the most critical investments we can make. These enhancements, made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act, will help us deliver quality care to make Delaware families stronger and healthier. I am grateful for the leadership of our Governor and congressional delegation.”

“One in three high school students are reporting that they feel persistently sad and hopeless,” said Secretary of DSCYF Josette Manning. “This adolescent diagnosis center and expansion of crisis beds will allow us to provide better services to youth and adolescents while we keep them closer to their homes and closer to their communities, with targeted interventions to help stabilize them so that, ideally, they can return to their homes and their communities sooner. Thank you to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Federal Delegation, and the General Assembly for their support.”

Watch the press conference here.

Learn more about Delaware’s American Rescue Plan Investments here.

Nomination forms accepted through April 29

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced the 2022 Compassionate Champion Awards nomination form is now available. The Compassionate Champion Awards recognize individuals, organizations, and educational institutions across the State of Delaware that provide trauma-informed services in a manner consistent with the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care.  

The nomination period closes at 5:00 p.m. on April 29, 2022. Winners and a recognition event will be announced at a later date.

Click here to access the nomination form.

“From students to families to workers, we’ve all been impacted by the pandemic in some way, and we must continue to address the impact of this trauma,” said Governor Carney. “That’s why we are recognizing the important work of those who continue to serve their neighbors through a trauma-informed approach so that we can continue to heal. I encourage Delawareans and organizations to submit nomination forms, and I look forward to recognizing the incredible work taking place across Delaware.”

The Compassionate Champion Award highlights individuals or teams in government, non-profit and private organizations, first responder professions, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, and other agencies that have taken steps toward providing services in a manner consistent with trauma-informed care. 

The award categories include:

• Government – Agency, division, team, workgroup, or individuals of State of Delaware, county, or municipal governmental agencies/organizations.
• Community Organizations – Non-profit or for-profit organizations providing support services to individuals, families, and communities. For example, this category includes faith-based organizations, organizations serving individuals with disabilities, homeless services, veteran services, elderly, and crisis intervention.
• First Responders – Organizations such as fire, law enforcement, Victim Services and EMT.
• Education (P-20) – Universities, colleges, school districts, schools, early childhood centers, daycare centers, and other educational institutions.
• Health Care – Includes agencies, providers, hospitals, or individuals providing trauma-informed care to service recipients.
• Other – Organizations that may not fit within the categories above.

Any individual, community partner, first responder, educational institution, state agency or other organization providing services to Delaware’s citizens within the State of Delaware is eligible for nomination. Applicants may nominate themselves or another individual or organization. 

Click here to nominate yourself, an individual, or an organization by April 29 at 5:00 p.m.

In 2018, the Family Services Cabinet Council implemented Executive Order #24, which launched efforts to make Delaware a trauma-informed state. As part of this initiative, Delaware is committed to ensuring all environments that serve children and adults in the state are working to embody practices of trauma-informed care. 

Based on the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care, trauma-informed care includes:

• Creating respectful, sensitive, and culturally competent environments;
• Implementing evidence-based trauma-informed principles and practices that address the effects associated with trauma;
• Developing a common language and framework for dialogue and discussion to enhance communication and progress along the continuum of trauma-informed care; and
• Increasing the effectiveness and responsiveness of all services and assistance provided to Delawareans, especially children and adults who have experienced traumatic circumstances.

Click here for the list of 2021 Compassionate Champion Award winners.

Watch the 2021 Compassionate Champion Awards Ceremony.

Questions about the 2022 Compassionate Champion Award can be directed to fscc@delaware.gov.

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ARPA-funded program will provide support for community-level mental health services

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long on Wednesday announced the creation of a Community-Based Mental Health Services Fund to support the delivery of mental health services in Delaware communities.

The program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The federal legislation was supported in Congress by Delaware’s congressional delegation – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester – and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11.

Visit de.gov/rescueplan to learn more about how Delaware is investing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. 

“Now more than ever, we know the importance of providing access to quality mental health services for Delawareans in need,” said Governor Carney. “This Community-based Mental Health Services Fund will help community health care providers, nonprofits, and faith-based institutions provide those services, and strengthen the communities they serve. Thank you to members of our federal delegation and President Joe Biden for providing these important resources.”

Nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and for-profit providers that provide community-based mental health services in Delaware may apply for funding through the program. Applicants should review Delaware’s Developmental Framework to make Delaware a trauma-informed state.

Click here to view the Community-Based Mental Health Services Fund application.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 6:00 p.m. on January 15, 2022 to be considered for funding.

“This fund provides much needed resources for persons with behavioral health challenges in order to give families access to early intervention and quality treatment to support their loved ones. As a nurse and Chair of the Behavioral Health Consortium, I am committed to making Delaware a leader in providing access to quality behavioral health services to truly help people. This investment is a critical support for our healthcare providers, non-profits and faith-based institutions to deliver services and breakdown stigma,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “Thank you to our federal delegation and President Joe Biden for their commitment to get Delawareans the help they deserve, and a behavioral health system that works for everyone.”

“Access to affordable, quality mental health services should be available to everyone – no matter their income or zip code,” said Carper, Coons and Blunt Rochester. “Far too often, we focus on the physical symptoms of the pandemic; however, we must not overlook the mental health challenges faced by so many during difficult times. As the pandemic continues to take its toll on our nation and here in Delaware, we are proud of Governor Carney’s commitment to helping all Delawareans get the help that they need.”

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Nomination forms accepted through April 15

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday announced the 2021 Compassionate Champion Award nomination form is now available. The Compassionate Champion Award recognizes individuals, organizations, and educational institutions across the state of Delaware providing trauma-informed services. The nomination period closes at 5:00 p.m. on April 15, 2021. Winners will be announced during Trauma Awareness Month on May 15, 2021. A recognition event will be announced at a later date.

Click here to access the nomination form.

“The pandemic has impacted everyone in one way or another, and Delawareans and organizations have supported their neighbors in need,” said Governor John Carney. “I encourage Delawareans and organizations across our state to submit nominations. We look forward to recognizing the important work of those who have served their fellow Delawareans with compassion and with a trauma-informed approach, especially over this past year.”

The Compassionate Champion Award highlights individuals or teams in government, non-profit and private organizations, first responder professions, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, families and caregivers, and other agencies that have taken steps toward providing services in a manner consistent with trauma-informed care.

The award categories include:

• Government – Agency, division, team, workgroup, or individuals of State of Delaware, county, or municipal governmental agencies/organizations.
• Community Organizations – Non-profit or for-profit organizations providing support services to individuals, families, and communities. For example, this category includes faith-based organizations, organizations serving individuals with disabilities, homeless services, veteran services, elderly, and crisis intervention.
• First Responders – Organizations such as fire, law enforcement, Victim Services and EMT.
• Education (P-20) – Universities, colleges, school districts, schools, early childhood centers, daycare centers, and other educational institutions.
• Family/Caregiver – A family member or family caregiver demonstrating exceptional trauma-informed care during an especially difficult year.
• Health Care – Includes agencies, providers, hospitals, or individuals providing trauma-informed care to service recipients.
• Other – Organizations that may not fit within the categories above.

Any individual, community partner, first responder, educational institution, state agency or other organization providing services to Delaware’s citizens within the State of Delaware is eligible for nomination. Applicants may nominate themselves or another individual or organization.

Click here to nominate yourself, an individual, or an organization by April 15 at 5:00 p.m.

In 2018, the Family Services Cabinet Council implemented Executive Order #24, which launched efforts to make Delaware a trauma-informed state. As part of this initiative, Delaware is committed to ensuring all environments that serve children and adults in the state are working to embody practices of trauma-informed care.

Trauma-informed care criteria should be in a manner consistent with the Delaware Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Care. The Framework was adapted from the Missouri Model of trauma-informed care and was produced in collaboration with the Family Services Cabinet Council ACEs Subcommittee and the Compassionate Connections Partnership.

Trauma-informed care includes:

• Creating respectful, sensitive, and culturally competent environments;
• Implementing evidence-based trauma-informed principles and practices that address the effects associated with trauma;
• Developing a common language and framework for dialogue and discussion to enhance communication and progress along the continuum of trauma-informed care; and
• Increasing the effectiveness and responsiveness of all services and assistance provided to Delawareans, especially children and adults who have experienced traumatic circumstances.

Click here for the list of 2020 Compassionate Champion Award winners and to watch the virtual award ceremony.

For more information on Trauma Awareness Month and Delaware’s activities, including the 2021 Compassionate Champion Award, please email fscc@delaware.gov.

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