Mayo Clinic is giving $30,000 to a Rochester Police project that helps people struggling with addiction as the winner of this year's Mayo Clinic Shared Value Award.
The Police-Assisted Recovery project "seeks to find new pathways to help people stay out of jail and access drug treatment services." The Rochester Police Department, Zumbro Valley Health Center, Doc's Recovery House, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, EmPower CTC, and Olmsted County Adult Behavioral Health are all participating.
The project was one of three finalists competing for Mayo Clinic grant dollars. After a Mayo Clinic committee whittled the non-profit applicants from 17 down to three, Mayo Clinic employees and the general public voted online to choose the final winner.
The two runners-up for the award — the Eviction Prevention and Meadow Park Initiative projects — each will receive a $5,000 grant. The Eviction Prevention project "seeks to increase housing stability and reduce financial stress for area residents." The Meadow Park Initiative project is "focused on empowering residents living with socio-economic challenges to connect with neighbors in activities and friendships to support health and well-being." Competition to be one of this year's finalists was tough, with an all-time high of 17 applicants.
Erin Sexton, Mayo Clinic's director of Enterprise Community Engagement, was quoted in the press release as stating, "Mayo Clinic sees the Shared Value Award as a way to support collaborative efforts in Olmsted County focused on creating a healthy, inclusive and vibrant community."
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Mayo Clinic created the Mayo Clinic Shared Value Award in 2016 "to encourage collaborative efforts to address health priorities, such as injury prevention from distracted driving, immunizations, obesity, mental health and financial stress.
