While the immediate victims of 12/14 — 26 families, two injured teachers, and 12 witness/survivor children — will continue to be served on an “as-needed” basis within current limitations, the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation (NSHCF) will initiate a cap in payouts that help other individuals cover out-of-pocket costs for mental health and other alternative posttraumatic treatments.

According to NSHCF Executive Director Jennifer Barahona, the foundation has distributed $8,208,950 as of July 31. Those 40 immediate families of victims, teachers, witnesses, and survivors received $7,696,000; $214,702 was paid out to support out-of-pocket costs for mental health treatments for others affected by the tragedy; $170,696 to cover out-of-pocket costs for health and wellness treatment; $116,000 in competitive community grants; and $11,552 for community events.

“We’re really proud that we’ve been able to support nearly every reasonable request that came in — a lot more than we thought we might when we started,” she said. “We need to reserve the most available funds to be sure that needs are met for those most impacted.”

On August 27, the foundation completed mailings to all local families who either may have initially applied for or are currently receiving any compensation from the fund. The letter states that it will be necessary to implement changes to the level of financial support available to individuals affected by the tragedy.

These changes were recommended by the Distribution Committee of the Sandy Hook School Support Fund and approved by the board of directors.

Beginning January 1, 2016, there will be a limit on the total, annual support the foundation will be able to provide for individuals and/or family members. These caps are inclusive of any traditional out-of-pocket costs and must fall within the existing parameters and rate limits for treatment — co-pays for licensed therapist and/or nontraditional therapies and wellness activities not covered by insurance.

The following groups of individuals will continue to be eligible to receive financial support up to the annual limits outlined below. The limits were based on utilization trends over a 12- month period, average spending per category, and total amount of dollars projected to be available in the 2016 calendar year.

*Sandy Hook Elementary School students who were enrolled at the school on 12/14/12 ($1,250 cap per student)

*Immediate family members (parents/guardians and siblings) of eligible SHES students ($1,000 cap per family member)

*Sandy Hook Elementary School teachers and staff who were employed at SHES on 12/14/12, as well as including SHES bus drivers ($1,000 cap per teacher/staff member)

*First responders (state and local police, fire, EMS, and ladies auxiliary) who responded to the school or the Sandy Hook firehouse on 12/14/12 ($1,000 cap per individual)

Individuals who have received support in the past and who are not included in the groups listed above are encouraged to contact a care coordinator at the Recovery & Resiliency Team to discuss their care.

Further Adjustments Possible

According to the letter, the new imposed limits assume that funds will continue to be available.

Unexpectedly higher than predicted number of eligible individuals receiving support may require further adjustments or reduction of annual limits, however, and the foundation reserves the right to make these necessary adjustments along the way and will provide notice to individuals to the best of its ability.

Among other points beneficiaries should note:

*Funds are not payouts to individuals. The limits are the most that the funds are able to contribute toward mental health and wellness care. Individuals who do not use the amount they are eligible for are not entitled to roll it forward into future years or receive a direct payment. There is a finite amount of resources remaining and the limits have been determine based on average utilization and funds available. Any unspent funds will roll into the amount available for redistribution in future years.

*The established limits are for funds available during the 2016 calendar year. Decisions about future support will be made based on utilization and available funds.

*The limits are for dates of service beginning January 1, 2016. Those individuals currently receiving support will continue to have their dates of service paid through the end of 2015 provided that all documentation (including explanation of benefits/EOBs) and paperwork is received and complete by March 1, 2016. It is the responsibility of individuals to submit claims to insurances companies and follow up with insurance companies as needed to get the necessary documentation. No exceptions will be made.

*The fund remains the payer of last resort, meaning that individuals must continue to submit required paperwork, including explanation of insurance benefits (if applicable) before claims will be processed for payment. Claims should continue to be submitted to the Newtown Recovery & Resiliency Team, as they are now, until further notice. Best efforts will be made to inform individuals when they have reached their cap and claims submitted after reaching the cap will not be paid.

Shift In Spending

Ms Barahona explained that in addition to the NSHCF, collaborating agencies including the Lions, Rotary, United Way, a Memorial Fund, and the Department of Justice have spent more than $1 million in the last 2.5 years on out-of-pocket mental health treatment for individuals, and the Sandy Hook School Support Fund has covered close to $400,000 of that in the last 12 months.

She said many of the funders who had money to contribute (Newtown Memorial Fund, Department of Justice grant, etc) have given all or most of what they had to use for this purpose. But the spending patterns do not match with the projected funds available for this purpose, making change necessary.

Ms Barahona said that while individual treatment is an important component of recovery, research into trauma clearly indicates that individual treatment alone cannot heal individuals and communities. Creating communities where there are caring and supportive connections at every level is ultimately what is most helpful and will prevent destructive reactions like substance abuse, depression, etc.

The strategic planning committee of the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation took this research into consideration while developing priority areas and spending over the next ten years of the life of the fund. Spending to date has been heavily weighted on individual treatment and a shift needs to start to take place slowly toward building the community capacity for connection and healing.

“We want to promote the importance of connecting, whether an adult or child,” Ms Barahona said. “Never underestimate the power of connections and friends in the healing process. We want to promote these connections benefits among all members of the community, which should also have a positive impact on those most affected.”

Ms Barahona said foundation officials understand the benefits of individual mental health treatments — but those individuals also need to begin working on reestablishing connections that might have been fractured or severed in the days or months after 12/14.

“Up to now, we’ve been heavily focused on individual treatments,” she said. “Our new focus will be on creating and promoting greater engagement opportunities with grants to community partners or organizations that are promoting interconnection and relationship building.”

She added that funders are still committed to assisting those getting benefits for private one-on-one support, especially for those most impacted, but the foundation volunteers are also very cognizant of being prepared for the future needs of teachers, first responders, students, and immediate victims.