SAMHSA Awards More Than $12 Million To Help Community Programs Meet The Mental Health Needs Of Older Americans

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 16 Oct 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced the award of 10 grants totaling more than $12 million over three years through the Older Adults Targeted Capacity Expansion Grant Program to help communities meet the special mental health needs of older Americans. The grants enable community public health authorities to provide expanded prevention, screening and treatment services for older Americans dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

"Older Americans experience the same mental health issues that confront the rest of our society, and we need to better tailor our mental health services to make them more accessible and effective for this growing population," said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H. "The Older Adults Targeted Capacity Expansion Grants will foster these kinds of improved mental health prevention and treatment services for older Americans."

The 10 awards are funded up to $415,400 per year in total costs for up to three years. $4 million is available for the first year of funding. Continuation awards are subject to the availability of funds and the progress achieved by the awardees. The grants announced today will be administered by SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services.

The grant awardees are:

-- Jewish Family Service, Los Angeles, $415,000: This program will help better address the mental health needs of older adults and their caretakers in the Los Angeles area.

-- Community Rehabilitation Center, Jacksonville, Fla., $415,070: This program will promote mental health services specially geared to the needs of individuals aged 60 and older living in Jacksonville and Duval County, Fla.

-- Coastal Behavioral Healthcare Inc., Sarasota, Fla., $415,400: The Pathways to Health Program: 60 and Beyond is a collaborative effort among key community healthcare providers to promote integrated treatment, rehabilitation and support services to older adults in Sarasota County.

-- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, $413,478: The grant will be used to expand the mental health services of underserved populations of older adults living near the west side of Chicago.

-- The Adult and Child Mental Health Center, Indianapolis, Ind., $415,339: This project will be used to develop enhanced services to meet the mental health needs of older adults living in the south side of metropolitan Indianapolis.

-- Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas, Wichita, Kans., $406,386: The Mid-Kansas Senior Outreach program will help identify, properly refer and assist older adults at risk for, or experiencing, mental health problems that threaten their ability to live independently.

-- Advocates, Inc., Framingham, Mass., $415,400: The Elder Community Care program will improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment services for people aged 60 and older living in 14 Boston area communities.

-- Oakland Family Services, Pontiac, Mich., $388,456: This project will improve in-house behavioral health services to homebound isolated adults 60 years or older in 13 communities.

-- Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse, Oklahoma City, $415,200: This program will enhance the capacity of the state's mental health infrastructure to better meet the treatment needs of all Oklahomans aged 60 and older who need help.

-- United Community Center, Milwaukee, Wis., $415,400: A United Community Center will service the treatment needs of older adults with depressive disorders, including those in the Latino and other underserved communities.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the 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 services delivery system.

http://www.samhsa.gov