Raphah Institute

RAPHAH INSTITUTE HELPS COMMUNITIES HEAL BY DESIGNING NEW PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE VITAL RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE. WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT LEAD TO GENERATIONAL POVERTY, VIOLENCE, AND EARLY DEATH TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT NEW SYSTEMS FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAL AND THRIVE. SPECIFICALLY OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY VERSIONS OF THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES: HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS, ECONOMIC POWER, HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM IS OUR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE DIVERSION PROGRAM (RJDP), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL JUVENILE COURT. THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE (RJ) DIVERSION PROGRAM SERVES YOUTH (UNDER 18) RESPONSIBLE FOR LOWLEVEL FELONY HARMS AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED BY THEM. WHILE OUR YOUTH MAY HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR THE HARM CAUSED, THEY HAVE NOT YET GONE THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL COURT PROCESS. DURING FY22 WE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED EARLY EMBRACE, A TWO-PRONG INITIATIVE THAT SERVES CAREGIVERS, BOTH EARLY LEARNING EDUCATORS AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS, OF CHILDREN (AGES 0-5) IN FAMILIES AT OR LESS THAN 200% OF THE NATIONAL POVERTY LINE. ONE PRONG OF THE EARLY EMBRACE INITIATIVE, CALLED THE NETWORK, AIMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION BY SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO START AN EARLY EDUCATION BUSINESS IN THEIR HOMES BY PROVIDING FIVE VITAL RESOURCES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS: BUSINESSS COACHING, EDUCATIONAL COACHING, LICENSURE COACHING, START- UP/ENHANCEMENT GRANTS, AND SUPPLEMENTAL BUSINESS INCOME. THE OTHER PRONG OF EARLY EMBRACE, CALLED EARLY BRIDGE BUILDERS, SERVES PARENTS/GUARDIANS FROM THE SAME POOR COMMUNITIES BY HELPING THEM ACCESS HIGH QUALITY, CRITICAL RESOURCES MENTIONED IN RAPHAH'S MISSION: HEALTHCARE (BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL), EDUCATION, SOCIAL SUPPORTS, FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC POWER, AND HEALTHY AND SAFE HOUSING. DURING FY22 WE MADE THE DECISION TO END OUR MST (MULTI-SYSTEMIC THERAPY) PROGRAM AND FOCUS ON DESIGNING A THERAPY INITIATIVE THAT IS A CUSTOM FIT FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE AND THEIR UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC NEEDS. THE DESIGN OF THE NEW THERAPY INITIATIVE WILL SPECIFICALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE IDENTIFIED NEED FOR TRAUMA THERAPY WHICH WAS NOT A PART OF THE MST MODEL, WHILE ADDITIONALLY ALLOWING OUR THERAPISTS TO DELIVER SERVICES FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND AT A SLOWER PACE FOR FAMILIES, GROUPS, AND/OR INDIVIDUALS, RATHER THAN ABIDE BY THE FAST PACED AND SHORT LENGTH OF SERVICE DELIVERY THAT THE MST MODEL ONLY ALLOWED FOR.