Going back to school.
Rental assistance.
Buying professional clothing.
These are some of the many ways people can use the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness John Kovacs Scholarship: $2,500 awarded to individuals with lived experience of mental illness or substance use disorder who want to expand their learning opportunities or advance in life, said Suzanne Grimmesey, the department’s chief of strategy and community engagement.
Santa Barbara County resident John Kovacs was a behavioral health advocate who left $196,000 of his trust to the Behavioral Wellness Department.
“In memory of John Kovacs, we were trying to figure out how to use the money not just one time, but to honor his name and value it for years to come. We chose to create this scholarship fund,” Grimmesey said. “Every year we get to talk about this person and overcoming barriers and the challenges of living a life when you’re recovering from mental illness or substance use disorder—barriers in the way, but the ability to go beyond. We wanted to tell that story over and over and over.”
Behavioral Wellness awarded two $2,500 one-time scholarships to residents in May 2022—alongside celebrating the department’s 60th anniversary. The 2024 scholarship application period is open until Sept. 29.
In their applications, residents must “show a demonstrated need” for how these funds will bridge a gap or address an unmet need to help them achieve “a life-changing goal,” she said.
The funds could be for a single mom who struggled with mental illness and is now stable and wants to go back to school to provide a better life for her family, or someone “who finally has the ability to move and live independently, but needs help with first month’s rent,” Grimmesey said.
“It’s that type of thing and there could be lots more,” she said. “The really special thing about this is it isn’t to create an anxiety-provoking application, but what we’ve seen is it gives people a chance to think about what the scholarship is asking for.”
Alongside a series of non-narrative questions, applicants are required to write a narrative response that describes their socio-economic barriers, how the scholarship would help overcome the barriers, and how it would help them address any short-term or long-term goals.
“It’s intended to help people embody resiliency, overcoming barriers to recognize someone’s ability to do that, but it also instills in that person the validation that that is the case. It embodies tenacity, resiliency, overcoming barriers,” Grimmesey said.
People do not need to submit medical records or documentation to prove their history with mental illness or substance use disorder; rather, applicants address their experiences in the application’s narrative portion. Applications are then reviewed by a committee made up of drug and alcohol division and adult mental health services branch chiefs and one or more peer employees in the behavioral health system. Recipients will be announced during the Behavioral Wellness Department’s annual peer celebration at the end of November or beginning of December.
“It’s so rewarding because it truly makes an impact to achieve goals, bridge gaps, [and] move forward,” she said.
Highlights:
• The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, in collaboration with the Santa Maria Arts Council, announced that it’s accepting vendor applications for the annual Canvas and Corks event on Oct. 26 at Machado Plaza (224 W. Chapel St.). Canvas and Corks is for art lovers, foodies, and wine enthusiasts alike with handcrafted art, crafts, artisan foods, and locally produced wines. Booth spaces are free for vendors. Complete applications by Sept. 20. Find the application at cityofsantamaria.org or call (805) 925-0951, Ext. 2260, for more information.
• Lompoc Parks and Recreation is offering a new adult yoga class for stress management—a gentle and restorative practice suitable for all levels. Participants will practice soothing breath exercises, gentle movements, and stretches all aimed at calming stress and regulating the nervous system. The class costs $45 and will run on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. from Sept. 9 to 30 at the Dick DeWees Community and Senior Center (1120 W. Ocean Ave.). Register at cityoflompoc.com/recreation or in-person at the Anderson Recreation Center (125 W. Walnut Ave.). Call (805) 875-8100 for more information.
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at [email protected].
