Kentucky to receive millions in federal funding for mental health services

Kentucky will receive $17 million in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday. 

The money will be used to support the 988 suicide prevention lifeline, youth mental health, addiction recovery, doula services and more.

“Mental health is just as important as physical health, and devoting more resources to expand access and service capacity for Kentuckians is important,” Dr. Steven Stack, the  secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said in a statement. “These dollars will help us strengthen our behavioral health capacity within the state, and in turn help more individuals thrive.”

Here’s how the grants will break down, according to Beshear’s office: 

• 988 Crisis Improvement Project – $7,391,219 to improve Kentucky’s response to all 988 contacts (including calls, chats and texts) originating in the state and bolster service for populations at high risk of suicide and overdose.
• Early identification and treatment for youth experiencing psychosis – $2.6 million to help identify youth and young adults ages 25 and younger who are at clinical high risk for psychosis. The initiative will provide support to prevent the onset of psychosis or lessen the severity of psychotic disorder.
• Expansion of youth behavioral health mobile crisis teams – $3 million to both create and enhance existing mobile crisis teams that serve children, youth and adults experiencing mental health and addiction crises. Through formal partnerships, grantees will divert crisis responses from law enforcement-only to the behavioral health crisis system.
• Doula support for women with addiction – $3,238,083 to strengthen and expand the state’s ability to provide integrated addiction and maternal mental health services for pregnant and postpartum women (PPW) and their families.
• School Crisis Response Network – $600,000 to support schools across Kentucky with crisis preparedness, mental health awareness and connections to care following traumatic events such as disasters, suicide deaths, violence and fatal accidents.

“To our fellow Kentuckians who are struggling with mental health or addiction, please remember that it’s OK to not be OK,” Beshear said in a statement. “There is help available, and Team Kentucky will never stop working to make sure you have access to the support you need.”

This story may be updated.