Community Development Block Grant-COVID Relief
The Village of Canton has received funding from the New York State Office of Community Renewal (OCR) in the amount of $1,186,974 through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CDBG CARES) Program to provide small business assistance, and to assist the Society of United Helpers, Inc. in expanding mental health services.
Canton CARES Small Business Grant Program (CCSBGP)
The Village of Canton is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the Canton CARES Small Business Grant Program.
The Canton Cares Small Business Grant Program (CCSBGP) has been established to provide grants to microenterprises and small businesses with less than 25 employees in the Village that have been impacted by the pandemic. As such, the primary goal of the program is to address improvements that support customer and staff safety and improve business resiliency related to future occurrences of the virus or other disasters; allowing businesses to prepare for, prevent, or respond to impacts of the pandemic.
A 2022 Community Development Block Grant to the Village is providing $500,000 in funds to support the CCSBGP. All types of microenterprises and small businesses within the Village of Canton will be eligible for consideration, with the exception of not-for-profits. Businesses must commit to demonstrating job retention or creation with at least 51% of jobs taken by or made available to low-moderate income persons. A microenterprise owner can also qualify by meeting the definition of a low-moderate income person.
All applicants must demonstrate how the proposed use of funds will enable the business to prepare for, prevent, or respond to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prospective applicants should contact the Office of Economic Development (OED) for application information. The OED will screen applicants for program eligibility, and provide application materials to those interested. Applications will be accepted through December 20, 2023 at 4pm.
For more information please contact Leigh Rodriguez, Program Manager, at (315) 386-2871 #5, or [email protected].
United Helpers Support
The Society of United Helpers (United Helpers) is a 501c3 nonprofit serving St. Lawrence County and Jefferson County. The United Helpers mission is “serving our community and helping those in need.” United Helpers’ services include mental health counseling; developmental disability services and residences; supportive housing; care coordination; senior and disabled care and living options; physical, occupational, and speech therapy services; and post-hospital inpatient rehabilitation.
United Helpers’ Behavioral Health Clinic program has two OMH Licensed Article 31 clinics located in Ogdensburg and Canton. These clinics serve 612 clients annually, 30% of whom are under 18 and 85% of whom are Medicaid-eligible. Here in Canton, access to adequate mental health care is in fact an overwhelming issue. United Helpers is working to help alleviate the situation. Since 2019, they have built and grown mental health services in the Village, and community response continues to be positive. They have five full-time clinicians and a part-time psychiatric nurse practitioner providing psychiatric services for six hours a week. They currently serve 375 of their total 612 clients in Canton. Presently, they average about 40 referrals a month and have a waitlist of roughly 100 people. The average wait time for services is about two weeks.
In order to serve more Canton patients, United Helpers will use grant funding to hire six mental health clinicians. Additionally, United Helpers will expand its Care Coordination program, allowing clients access to advocates that can help with linkages to other services based in Canton, e.g., Department of Social Services, county courts, county services, food banks, and community centers. Care Coordination Services currently serves 250 clients county-wide. The average caseload for each clinician providing mental health services is 80; with the approved grant funding United Helpers will be able to serve an additional 480 patients each year.
United Helpers is partnering with the Village of Canton in order to provide these additional services to the Canton community. Together, we have secured funds that will support an expansion of United Helpers’ Canton Behavioral Health Clinic Services and Care Coordination services through the Community Development Block Grant – CV CARES opportunity.
