Feds Award $18.2 Million To Five Local Organizations Offering Mental Health Services, Substance Use Treatment
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- The federal government awarded $18.2 million to five Maryland organizations to increase access to mental health services and substance use treatment, Maryland's Congressional Democrats announced on Wednesday.
Here's a breakdown of where the money will go:
- $5 million to Volunteers of America Chesapeake, Inc., in Lanham, for children and family trauma services
- $5 million for Family Services, Inc., in Gaithersburg, to expand treatments in outpatient mental health clinics
- $4,999,994 for Montgomery County for community mental health centers services
- $2,420,438 for Arundel Lodge, Inc., in Edgewater, a nonprofit offering services for people with behavioral health disorders
- $800,365 for Maryland's Medicaid Agency to develop mobile intervention services for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis or substance use-related emergency
In a joint statement, U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Reps. Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone said the money would provide better health care access to low-income and vulnerable residents.
"The severe lack of affordable and accessible health care and crisis intervention services can have a devastating impact on Marylanders, and particularly on underserved communities," the lawmakers said.
The $18,220,797 in federal dollars comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan, the lawmakers said.