CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
September 17, 2003, Vol. 03-84

HAWAII AWARDED $3.6 MILLION GRANT TO TREAT PERSONS WITH CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL DISORDERS

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that the Hawaii governor's office will receive $3.6 million over five years to increase the capacity of state treatment systems to provide effective, coordinated and integrated treatment services to persons with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. These grants are part of the State Incentive Grant program in HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

SAMHSA is awarding seven of these new grants, designed to stimulate states to provide comprehensive, evidence-based treatment to persons who have at least one mental disorder as well as an alcohol or drug use disorder. The Hawaii grant, presented to Governor Linda Lingle at the Governor's Town Hall Meeting today, will provide over $1 million in each of the first three years, $504,872 in the fourth year and $100,000 in the last year.

"Individuals with co-occurring disorders should be the expectation, not the exception in the substance abuse treatment and mental health service systems," Secretary Thompson said. "This grant will help individuals in Hawaii obtain the coordinated treatment they need to recover and lead healthy lives."

"This program builds on SAMHSA's Report to Congress on Prevention and Treatment of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorders and Mental Disorders," SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie said. "That report acknowledged that too often individuals are treated for only one of the two disorders, if they receive treatment at all. These grants are part of SAMHSA's action plan to help states create a system for treating people for both disorders, so any door the individual walks through for medical care will be the door to comprehensive treatment."

Nationwide, almost 4 million Americans have co-occurring serious mental illness and substance abuse problems, according to SAMHSA's latest Household Survey.

The Hawaii grant will be managed through the Office of the Governor, with active participation of the state's lieutenant governor, who will be co-chair of the project's coordinating committee. The program, envisioned to enhance the capacity and infrastructure available to provide integrated, evidence-based treatment services to people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, will be a collaboration among Hawaii's Department of Health, Department of Human Services and Department of Public Safety. The goal is to create a seamless and comprehensive system of care for people who have co-occurring disorders.

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SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. 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 service delivery systems.