Applied with a Letter of Intent to W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Result: Pending Review. Updated: Rejected Non Regional Priority.
By Pialee Roy, Ph.D. Achieving Access: Mental Healthcare Services and Social Support for Maternal and Child Care and Affiliated ECE Teachers
According to the Delaware Women Status Report, (Delaware DHSS, 2025): the state of Delaware showcases preventable mental health care disparities in health care access between Wilmington and non Wilmington areas of the northern county of the state as well as many of the cities in the southern two counties of the state for 25% or 289,000 Delawareans. The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health reports a 14% gap between the number of people with mental illnesses and those who can connect to care. “Program capacity issues, staffing shortages, and financial barriers are contributing to these challenges.”
The Achieving Access project solves two essential problems in maternal and child health systems for a diverse race/ethnic public health infrastructure: (1) Qualified providers demand part time work to pay for higher education since post covid 19 settings. Two hour work shifts offset financial stress and provide essential health care and social services to overwhelmed parents and teachers. (2) To address health concerns in a sustainable way, we strengthen the maternal child health care workforce: child development/nurse providers who will be paid to be certified health coaches to accept insurance with evidence based programs, assessments, and primary care to specialty care referrals. The triad of parents, teachers/providers, and children will increase coping for chronic health conditions, cultural awareness, identity, post partum depression and anxiety, and caregiving stress.
New Letter of Intent to W.K. Kellogg Foundation, similar effort however in another region and addressing employment. Result: Rejected.
By Pialee Roy, Ph.D. Achieving Access in Michigan: Maternal and Child Health Care, Social Support and Employment with Coaching Our goal is to increase maternal and child care comprehensive health and telehealth support for 1500 parents of youth through age 18. We aim to increase the availability of culturally relevant mental health care systems in close proximity to communities in Michigan most impacted by mental health care disparities. According to NAMI (2025) “516,000 adults in Michigan reported needing mental health treatment but not receiving it between 2018-2019. Cost is a prevailing factor in not receiving treatment.” NAMI (2025) reports, “142,000 Michigan adolescents experience a major depressive episode each year.” As many as 21% experienced 2+ adverse childhood experiences, which are linked to mental illness and substance misuse in adulthood.” The Achieving Access project solves two essential problems for a diverse racial/ethnic public health infrastructure: (1) Qualified providers demand additional part time work to pay for higher education since post covid 19 settings. Short hour work shifts offset financial stress and provide essential health care and social services to overwhelmed parents and teachers. (2) We will strengthen the maternal child health care workforce sustainably: social workers, child development/nurse providers and parents who will be paid to earn certificates in health coaching who can accept insurance with evidence based programs for chronic health conditions, mental health care and executive functioning assessments, and primary care to specialty care referrals.
New Letter of Intent to W.K.Kellogg Foundation. for Employment Systems in Michigan. Project Title: Employment through Wellness Coaching to Increase Health Literacy of Pediatric Systems Result: Rejected for nonalignment with Michigan work for now. Planning to try to implement with other funding resources in a modified way.
by Pialee Roy, Ph.D, Owner at Sparkly Life Health Coaching Inc. We aim to train and employ 250 individuals to complete board certification with coaching certificates to be insurance accepting providers in culturally diverse communities in Michigan for mental health and weight disparities. NAMI (2025) states “516,000 adults in Michigan reported needing mental health treatment but not receiving it between 2018-2019. Cost is a prevailing factor in not receiving treatment.” Also, “142,000 Michigan adolescents experience a major depressive episode each year… and 21% experienced 2+ adverse childhood experiences.” Reduction of stress, anxiety and chronic health conditions like overweight of 10 clients for each trained provider or a total of 2500 families will be achieved. By supporting pediatric providers, stress reduction of adults positively impacts the trajectory of children’s health. ANHCO reports “a 19% rise in Michigan-based wellness hiring”. ANHCO reports that the cost of certification is $1,495 to $2,100 plus 50 supervised hours to later earn $60k to $90k annually in high demand areas of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Grand Rapids (ANHCO, 2025). Early Childhood Centers and Nurses will benefit with nutrition guidance home exercise, gym and social support 30 to 60 minutes a day (Very Well Health, 2025). Primary care utilization and specialty care referral as a sustainable support, given board certified coaches can accept insurance. The effort also supports preventable conditions that otherwise result in overuse of emergency room visits.
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New Letter of Intent to W.K.Kellogg Foundation. for Employment Systems in Michigan. Project Title: Healthy Lunchbox and Literacy Program by Pialee Roy, Ph.D, Owner at Sparkly Life Health Coaching Inc.
The project plans to address food insecurity, mental health, and health literacy for low-income families with children under age 5, pregnant women, and expectant families by providing direct, nutritious meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner) through grant funding for nutrition support, counseling and coaching, and books. The program will collaborate with board certified, insurance accepting providers who will support delivery of weekly healthy meals, formula, nutrition education, and meal planning. The program will support breast feeding and connect families to social workers and counselors additionally, to help mothers increase their coping skills for depression, anxiety, etc, while increasing nutrition health literacy, shared reading benefits, and reduce the impact of child and family poverty. A variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and limited saturated fats and sugars to support budgeting for on a low income. Support for infant feeding is a key component. We would like to connect the families to local farming and community gardens and library workshops as a social support opportunity for shared reading and community. Because the first five years of life are essential to child development a percent of insurance funds will be utilized to invest in the sustainability of the program later to help the family budget for these ongoing activities later. We will possibly have a mobile van or food truck to visit libraries or places with a community health center.