The program serves youth from grades 3 through 10 and is held weekly throughout the school year. Sessions are currently offered in-person at our designated community site, with plans to expand to mobile and embedded formats within partner schools and community centers.

Key activities include:

• Group instruction and individual coaching sessions with experienced chess mentors
• Peer-led tournaments to foster leadership and teamwork
• Lessons that connect chess strategy to life skills such as patience, foresight, and emotional regulation
• Parent engagement workshops to reinforce learning at home

Each session runs for 90 minutes, incorporating warm-ups, instruction, gameplay, and reflection.

Inlet Pathways PHP exists to move individuals from crisis to clarity—with compassion guiding every step.

Short-term goals include:

• Reducing immediate psychological distress and crisis behavior
• Stabilizing mental health and/or substance use symptoms
• Engaging families in the healing process to reduce shame and isolation
• Improving communication, coping, and self-regulation skills

Long-term goals include:

• Promoting sustainable recovery and reducing rates of hospitalization or relapse
• Improving quality of life and reducing stigma around mental health
• Breaking intergenerational cycles of trauma and untreated illness
• Creating pathways to education, employment, and leadership for those in recovery

Community Impact

Inlet Pathways PHP is designed with impact in mind—rooted in evidence-based best practices and shaped by the real needs of individuals and families in our communities. While the program has not yet officially launched, our projected outcomes are grounded in both state-level data and successful models from similar programs nationally.

We anticipate that within the first 12 months of implementation:

• 85% of participants will complete the full course of care, based on structured engagement practices and peer support integration
• 80% will report a measurable reduction in symptoms of depression, anxiety, or substance use cravings by the end of treatment
• 90% of families will participate in at least one joint or family-centered session, reinforcing our whole-family approach
• 100% of participants will leave with a customized transition plan including outpatient referrals, community connections, and life readiness support

These projections are based on a blend of industry benchmarks and our internal assessment of need and capacity. By embedding culturally responsive care, community partnerships, and transportation access into the design, Inlet Pathways PHP is positioned to reach those most often left behind in traditional mental health systems.

With funding support and local partnerships, this program will serve as a blueprint for how we transform recovery and family wellness—starting in Delaware, and expanding outward.