U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along
with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, today announced that Thrive
Behavioral Health, Inc. and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $8 million
in federal grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services. All four members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation advocated for this federal funding earlier this year in a joint letter to SAMHSA.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked unprecedented
fear and anxiety making this a crucial time to expand access to substance use
and mental health support for Rhode Islanders,” said the members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation
in a joint statement.
“While necessary to keep communities safe, social
distancing and quarantining have left many feeling isolated and made it more
challenging to access important mental health services. These critical funds
will enable proven local mental health organizations to reach and help people
most in need during this crisis.”
The grants will increase access to and improve the quality of community mental health and substance use disorder treatment services in Rhode Island by expanding Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). The mission of CCBHCs is to provide person- and family-centered integrated services and in so doing, improve the quality of life of communities.
“Thrive
Behavioral Health, Newport Mental Health and their Horizon Healthcare Partner
Community Care Alliance hold the distinction of being the only three Certified
Community Behavioral Health Clinics in Rhode Island,” stated CEO Daniel
Kubas-Meyer. “This means that our clients receive the highest quality of care
that incorporates proven and effective models of treatment.”
Thrive
and Newport Mental Health have been awarded $4 million each over two years, and
will serve as the leads on the grants. Jamie Lehane, CEO of Newport Mental
Health said, “The award of these grants could not have come at a better time as
the long lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s mental health is
just starting to be felt. We’re thinking outside of the box and challenging the
whole system to move quickly with us to address what has been growing mental
health crisis in our state.”
Both
Newport Mental Health and Thrive will extend this funding to Community Care
Alliance and CODAC Behavioral Healthcare so that Rhode Island residents will
have easy access to treatment throughout the Ocean State.
At
24%, Rhode Island has the highest level of mental illness among adults
nationally, and 34% of children who needed mental health treatment or
counseling in the past 12 months did not receive the care they required. The
CCBHC expansion grant program provides Rhode Islanders with access to services
including 24/7 crisis intervention services for individuals with serious mental
illness and/or substance use disorders including opioid use disorders; children
and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance; and individuals with
co-occurring mental and substance disorders.
Over
the two-year grant period, the funding will enable the state’s community mental
health centers and their partners to expand evidence-based behavioral health
practices to over 10,000 adults, children and families throughout Rhode Island
who currently do not have access to services.