The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $77 million in grants Monday geared toward strengthening substance use prevention and treatment and community mental health.
The grants were funded through HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Initiatives supported by the grants include those to strengthen substance use prevention, treatment and recovery, community mental health, suicide prevention and crisis services.
SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Carroll said in a statement prevention efforts are “the foundation of a strong behavioral health system.”
“More than $22 million of these awards will help states, tribes, and communities prevent substance use and strengthen the protective factors that we know help people thrive,” Carroll said. “At the same time, these investments strengthen treatment and recovery, community behavioral health, suicide prevention, and crisis services so people can get the support they need when they need it.”
Projects receiving the funding are:
“Every American deserves the chance to live free from addiction and the devastation of untreated mental illness,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., HHS Secretary , in a statement. “President Trump’s Great American Recovery is taking on these crises at their roots. We are investing in prevention, expanding access to effective treatment, strengthening crisis response, and helping communities intervene before tragedy strikes. Our goal is clear: save lives, restore families, and help more Americans achieve lasting recovery and better health.”
In mid-August, the department awarded $96.7 million in grants and cooperative agreements for behavioral health services and initiatives.
Earlier this summer, Kennedy also announced more than $700 million in newly opened funding opportunities for services related to mental illness, addiction and homelessness—including $96 million toward its new Safety Through Recovery, Engagement and Evidence-based Treatment and Supports (STREETS).
The STREETS initiative was announced by HHS in February and funds targeted outreach, psychiatric care, medical stabilization and crisis intervention for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder (SUD).