Organization: Partnership of African American Churches
Mission: The Organization Focuses On Community Empowerment and Individual Well Being which involves both.
Activities: Peer Based Recovery - The Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) is a leader in training peer support providers in the area of substance misuse. In addition PAAC operates a prevention, recovery and Wellness Wenter on the Westside of Charleston, WV and a 10-bed Women's Residential Facility in Institute, WV. PAAC employs 5 full time recovery coaches to provide peer support to individuals with substance misuse disorder, homeless, veterans and those suffering from mental health challenges. PAAC also employs a community engagement specialist to work with those assigned to drug court under the justice reinvestment initiative.
21st Century Community Learning Centers provide academic enrichment opportunities during out of school time hours for children, particularly students who attend high poverty and low performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects such as reading and math; programs offer a wide array of enrichment acitivities that complement students' regular academic program and offer educational and support services to the families of participating students. Students recieve advanced steam programs, such as but not limited to, legos, robotics, and computer coding. The arts component includes music, both vocal and instrument instruction and ballet.
The Partnership of African American Churches operates a substance abuse prevention initiative under the principle that preventing drug use before it begins is the most cost-effective, common sens approach to sustaining safe and healthy communities. Based on this principle, PAAC has organized substance abuse prevention coalitions in a community of color that has been insturmental in implementing environmental strategies that help prevent youth from taking drugs before they start. The coalition is comprised of parents, youth, business owners, medical professionals, government, media, faith-based organizations and more, all implementing a federal drug free communities support grant awarded by the Office of Nation Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
NTEE category: Human Services
Secondary category: Mental Health & Crisis Intervention