CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
October 20, 2003, Vol. 03-93

HHS AWARDS $8.4 MILLION FOR TRAINING AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced awards totaling $8.4 million over three years to support efforts in nine states to implement and evaluate evidence-based practices for treating mental illnesses.

HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will administer the nine grants. First year funding totals $2,825,629. All nine grantees will provide training and continuing education for mental health service providers and other stakeholders. Each grantee will implement one or more of the following six evidence-based practices for which SAMHSA has previously developed implementation resource kits: Assertive Community Treatment; Family Psychoeducation; Illness Management and Recovery; Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders; Medication Management; and Supported Employment.

"Research has helped us learn a great deal about what treatments work best," Secretary Thompson said. "This grant program is using these research findings to improve treatments offered by states and communities."

SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie said: "One of SAMHSA's core responsibilities is transferring the knowledge developed by science to those who treat people with mental illnesses. We know that with effective treatments people with mental illness can and do recover. This program gives people that new hope."

The kits include instructive guides, manuals, videos, scales for measuring fidelity to the models and several other pieces that offer guidance to practitioners, consumers of mental health services and their families, administrators and other audiences.

The awards are expected to last three years. Annual renewals of the awards depend on the availability of funds and progress achieved.

The grantees include:

Ohio Department of Mental Health - $323,250. This project will implement and evaluate the Supported Employment Resource Kit and aims to increase rates of employment for people with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness. The program is expected to receive $324,450 in Year 2 and $324,780 in Year 3.

Vermont State Department of Developmental & Mental Health Services - $324,826. This project will implement the Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders Resource Kit statewide across Vermont's ten community health agencies. The program is expected to receive the same amount in both the second and third year.

Indiana Family and Social Services - $306,841. This project will implement and evaluate the Illness Management and Recovery Resource Kit in six community health centers. The program is expected to receive $275,796 in Year 2 and $250,724 in Year 3.

State of Hawaii Department of Health - $324,759. This project will implement Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders and Illness Management and Recovery using the resource kits. Each intervention will be implemented and evaluated in one urban and two rural community mental health centers. The program is expected to receive $308,000 in both the second and third year.

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - $245,978. This project will implement Assertive Community Treatment in three mobile treatment sites. On Our Own of Maryland, a statewide mental health consumer advocacy group, will assess consumer satisfaction and cultural competency of care. The program is expected to receive $286,985 in Year 2 and $285,695 in Year 3.

California Department of Mental Health - $325,000. This project will build a statewide infrastructure to foster adoption of evidence-based practices and provide training and technical assistance for the implementation of the Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders Resource Kit in eight sites in four counties. The program is expected to receive $325,000 for both the second and third year.

Illinois Department of Human Services - $325,000. This project will use the Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders Resource Kit to train 360 clinicians from 19 agencies in three communities. The program is expected to receive the same amount in both the second and third year.

New York Office of Mental Health, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene - $324,975. This project will implement the Family Psychoeducation Resource Kit in three communities serving persons of Asian, Hispanic/Latino and African descent. The project focuses on overcoming cultural barriers to implementing family psycho-education and will adopt a community-oriented approach to engaging clients. The program is expected to receive $316,743 in Year 2 and $324,243 in Year 3.

Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services - $325,000. This project will implement the Medication Management Resource Kit in one rural and one urban community. Training will include web-based support and continuing education. The program is expected to receive the same amount for both the second and third year.

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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.

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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.