A grant from TCRF will 1. Establish a Los Angeles Cancer Caregiver Consortium (LA3C), whose goal will be to address this unmet need of mental health and well-being for cancer caregivers. LA3C will convene and engage a diverse group of stakeholders and leaders in multiple sectors that most influence and are affected by cancer caregiver mental health. The stakeholders will include patients and caregivers, mental and behavioral health practitioners, non-profits, forprofits, and faith-based groups that provide resources and support to cancer caregivers across the continuum of care. The group will 2a. Develop a training program as well as collate and make available resources for primary caregivers and other professionals on how to identify loneliness, social isolation, and other psychosocial issues in patients, how to communicate the physical and mental health risks of isolation and prescribe contextually appropriate measures. Lastly, we will 3. Host two caregiver-directed training sessions for members of the community. By providing education and training for these professionals on how to best identify, intervene, and provide referrals to behavioral health services for caregivers in their communities, the program has to potential to have downstream impact on tens of thousands of cancer caregivers in the region, including those from underserved communities.
Community Partner