WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced awards totaling $34 million to develop comprehensive community-based mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families. These six-year grants build on President Bush’s compassionate agenda that fosters innovative community-based solutions for families in need.
HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will administer four cooperative agreements that are designed to strengthen local capacity to care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. Through a “systems of care” approach, the mental health needs of children, adolescents and their families will be provided through local resources such as the home, schools and community programs. All four grantees will develop and implement community-based service systems for their targeted population and participate in a national multi-site evaluation.
“In many communities, services for young people with serious emotional disturbances are unavailable, unaffordable, or inappropriate,” Secretary Thompson said. “These grants will help address these needs by helping children with serious emotional disturbances and their families.”
“An estimated two-thirds of the young people who need mental health services in the United States are still not getting them,” said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. “This program is built on a family-centered team and ties together a broad array of children’s mental health services and supports into a single individualized plan of care.”
Grantees will also develop plans for social marketing and local level evaluations as well as a plan for sustainability after federal funding ends. Requirements for increasing levels of non-federal matching funds are designed to assist grantees in the process of creating enduring systems of care. These grants are expected to last for six years.
The grantees are: Erie County Family Voices, Buffalo, New York -- $1,000,000 in the first year. This project will incorporate and expand an on-going reform process for their system of care for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families by emphasizing prevention of out-of-home, school, or community placements. It is expected that a total of 1,500 families will receive services through this project. The program is expected to receive $1,500,000 in year two, $2,500,000 in year three, $2,000,000 in year four, $1,500,000 in year five and $1,000,000 in year six. KIDS fm, Helena, Montana -- $750,000 in the first year. This project intends to transition the statewide children’s mental health system by working with the government as well as the Crow Nation to enhance access to an integrated, wraparound system of services designed to meet the needs of children and families. The program is expected to receive $1,125,000 in year two, $1,875,000 in year three, $1,000,000 in year four, $495,000 in year five and $330,000 in year six. Albany County Family Partnerships for Change, Albany, NY -- $934,777 in the first year. This project in partnership with Families Together in New York City will increase the capability of the county to address the needs of four under served populations: early childhood (0-5); at-risk youth (8-14); youth (12-21) with co-occurring disorders; and transitioning youth (16-21). The program is expected to receive $1,500,000 in year two, $2,500,000 in year three, $2,000,000 in year four, $1,500,000 in year five and $1,000,000 in year six. Kentuckians Encouraging Youth to Succeed, Frankfort, Kentucky -- $1,000,000 in the first year. This project will facilitate the implementation of interventions and supports in targeted schools in the North Central region of Kentucky to address the mental health and substance abuse needs of its youth. The program is expected to receive $1,500,000 in year two, $2,500,000 in year three, $2,000,000 in year four, $1,500,000 in year five and $1,000,000 in year six.
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
CONTACT: SAMHSA Press Office, +1-240-276-2130
Web site: http://www.samhsa.gov/