INDIANA – The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction is providing new funding to help build and support projects across Indiana to improve mental health and recovery services for Hoosiers.
This includes funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and the National Opioid Settlement, and totals more than $76 million.
DMHA is working with local units of government to promote innovative, community-driven responses to address substance use disorder issues, alongside grants to strengthen Indiana’s “no wrong door” approach to crisis care.
As part of the National Opioid Settlement, DMHA, in partnership with the Office of Governor Eric J. Holcomb, is awarding a total of $19 million in one-time funding to support evidence-based prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services, expand the behavioral health workforce and implement other services and initiatives across the state, to 30 local units of government, service providers, and community organizations.
“While the state has a role to play in the fight against the drug epidemic, real change happens at the local level”, said Douglas Huntsinger, executive director for drug prevention, treatment, and enforcement for the State of Indiana. “Any time we have an opportunity to infuse more dollars into a community for the benefit of Hoosiers, we take advantage of it. These funds will go a long way toward building out the care continuum and improving outcomes for Hoosiers with substance use disorders and mental health needs.”
The State of Indiana is receiving approximately $507 million over an 18-year period as part of the National Opioid Settlement with distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen and manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its parent company Johnson & Johnson. DMHA has developed a framework for how the State plans to use its appropriation for abatement purposes. Plans for spending the remaining funds can be found here.
DMHA received 78 proposals requesting a total of $93 million in response to the grant. Local units of government were required to provide match funds in order to qualify for funding. The services funded by these grants will reach Hoosiers in at least 28 counties.
Grant recipients include:
- Monroe County: Indiana Recovery Alliance and Monroe County Health Department Monroe received a $576,000 grant to purchase a building and vehicle for Indiana Recovery Alliance to continue and expand its harm reduction and syringe service program. Additionally, to provide harm reduction supplies to Monroe County Health Department.
- Safe Haven in Orange County received $272,870 to employ Peer Recovery Coaches who will work with the county jail and provide transportation for individuals in recovery. Additionally, to expand harm reduction services in the community.
- Schneck Medical Center received $600,000 to support recovery and harm reduction services, and to provide resources for incarcerated individuals in Jackson County.
- Dubois County: Dove Recovery House for Women, Next Steps, Memorial Hospital, and Healthcare Center received $435,220 to support transitional and permanent housing for women who are exiting Dove Recovery House. To expand access to recovery housing through rental support at Next Steps Recovery. To expand telemedicine-based behavioral health support through Memorial Hospital and Healthcare Center. Additionally, to expand interpretation and translation services and supports.
A full list of Opioid Settlement Match Grant recipients can be found here.
Additionally, 15 community mental health centers across the state are receiving $57 million in Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services grants. These grants will support the advancement of an integrated crisis response system that provides Hoosiers experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis someone to contact, someone to respond and a safe place for help. Crisis receiving and stabilization services function as part of the safe place for help pillar in Indiana’s Crisis Response Network and are an essential part of ensuring that all Hoosiers have a safe place to accept support and stabilize, regardless of clinical condition, in accordance with SAMHSA Best Practices.
“Crisis receiving and stabilization services are critical to providing crisis services,” said Jay Chaudhary, director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction. “Currently, too many Hoosiers experiencing a mental health crisis end up in emergency departments or county jails. These grants will help bridge gaps and offer a therapeutic and compassionate alternative pathway for individuals and communities in crisis.”
Grant recipients include:
- Centerstone of Indiana, Inc., to establish a new sub-acute Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services Program at the Bartholomew Stride Center in Columbus and expand an existing sub-acute Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services Program at the Monroe Stride Center in Bloomington.
- Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare, to expand and enhance an existing sub-acute Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services Program and pilot a person-centered, trauma-informed Violence Assessment Tool for potential use across the 988 system.
Details on all 15 projects funded by the Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Service grants can be found here.
Watch the news conference here.
