The City of Longview received a $5 million grant to support the Greater Longview Optimal Wellness (GLOW) program.
The funding is part of the Hogg Mental Health Foundation’s 2024 Mental Health and Wellbeing Reliable and Flexible Funding Grants.
GLOW began in 2021 as a partnership with local clinics, hospitals and organizations.
The partnership includes Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center, Longview Regional Medical Center, Community Healthcore, Greater Longview United Way, Special Health Resources, Wellness Pointe, Gregg County and the City of Longview.
“This is exciting work,” said Amy Hooten, former EMS chief for the Longview Fire Department and full-time director of the GLOW program. “It’s wonderful to help connect individuals to the right resources. It’s hard work and a time-consuming process, but I think it improves the quality of everyday life when individuals know how to get the services they need and how to make the right connections.”
The groups work together to connect people with nonprofits that fit their needs, like food and housing assistance. The goal is to help people get the right medical providers and receive those services without having to call 911 or go to the emergency room, as is common in Longview, Hooten said.
“Longview has a history of people using the emergency department as their primary care physician, so we want to help people understand how to maintain their overall health and connect them to local clinics to help them maintain their health through a continuum of care providers,” Hooten said.
The grant will enable GLOW to acquire more local paramedics and vehicles for case management follow-up. The funding will also help the organization hire more staff.
“These grants, especially the Hogg Foundation grant, have allowed us to develop something new that will support our community,” Hooten said. “We’re so grateful.” [the] We are honored to have been selected as a grant recipient and are excited to see how this collaboration will impact our community.”
According to information from the City of Longview, the Reliable Flexible Funding grants are unique in that they provide flexible funding, as opposed to many grants that provide funding limited to specific projects predetermined by donor organizations.
Additionally, grant funding will focus on supporting organizations serving communities that experience the greatest disparities, challenges and barriers to mental and behavioral health.
“The RFF initiative gives organizations flexibility to determine how best to maintain their overall capacity and stability, support their operational needs, and expand their reach. Ultimately, this approach fosters long-term mental health improvements in these communities,” said Crystal Viagran, director of finance and operations and project lead for the Reliable Flexible Funding initiative.
For more information about the GLOW program, visit tinyurl.com/2drsn32y.
— Villatoro, a Tyler Morning Telegraph reporter and member of the Report for America Corps, can be reached at rvillatoro@tylerpaper.com.
