Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will announce $52.9 million in new grant awards to states and tribes for youth suicide prevention programs during a visit to Tanana Chiefs Conference in Fairbanks, Alaska. The grants support state and tribal efforts to prevent suicide by bringing together public and private sector organizations that touch the lives of young people and putting into place a network of services that can help in a time of crisis.
The grant program is authorized under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which is named in honor of former Senator Gordon Smith's son who died by suicide and is operated by HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
"These grants are an important step in not only providing life-saving help to those who urgently need it, but in raising public awareness that suicide is one of our nation's most devastating public health problems," said Secretary Sebelius. "It is critical that our nation provides effective suicide prevention services wherever needed, and particularly to those traditional underserved communities that may be at greatest risk."
"The loss of a young life to suicide is an immeasurable tragedy for individuals, families and communities - made all the worse by the fact that it is preventable" said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. "That is why these grants are a crucial part of a nationwide effort to get the word out to all youth that there are places they can turn to for help at any time like the national suicide prevention lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. By relentlessly promoting suicide prevention in all places youth can be found -- schools, workplaces, places of worship and home -- we can all help save thousands of lives each year."
Funding will be provided to two groups of grantees. For 34 grantees, SAMHSA will provide up to $15.9 million in funds annually for up to three years, with each grantee receiving up to $480,000 each year. For an additional four grantees, SAMHSA will provide up to $5.8 million through the Affordable Care Act Prevention Funds for up to three years. Each grantee is projected to receive up to approximately $1.4 million. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees.
The following is a list of the grantees and the funding they are projected to be awarded each year from SAMHSA's Direct Appropriation funds:
* Tennessee Dept. of Mental Health: Nashville, Tenn. - $480,000
* Virginia Dept. of Health: Richmond, Va. - $480,000
* Navajo Nation-Dept. of Behavioral Health Services: Window Rock, Ariz. - $477,427
* Amer. Indian Hlth & Fam. Srv. Of SE MI: Detroit, Mich. - $480,000
* Okla. Dept. of Mental Health & Subst. Abuse: Oklahoma City, Okla. - $480,000
* Kawerak, Inc: Nome, Alaska - $480,000
* Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center: Pendleton, Ore. - $478,879
* CT Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction: Hartford, Conn. - $480,000
* Carlton County: Cloquet, Minn. - $480,000
* Omaha Tribe of Nebraska: Macy, Neb. - $480,000
* Havasupai Tribe: Supai, Ariz. - $384,190
* Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes: Pablo, Mont. - $480,000
* Tanana Chiefs Conference: Fairbanks, Alaska - $480,000
* Rhode Island Dept. of Health: Providence, R.I. - $480,000
* Native American Health Center, Inc.: Oakland, Calif. - $480,000
* Southeast Alaska Reg. Health Consortium: Juneau, Alaska - $480,000
* Cabinet for Health & Family Services: Frankfort, Ky. - $480,000
* Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation: Dillingham, Alaska - $469,916
* Cherokee Nation: Tahlequah, Okla. - $480,000
* Youth Suicide Prevention Program: Seattle, Wash. - $480,000
* Research Found. for Mental Hygiene, Inc.: Menands, N.Y - $480,000
* Native Americans for Comm. Action, Inc.: Flagstaff, Ariz. - $480,000
* The University of Montana: Missoula, Mont. - $480,000
* Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians: Belcourt, N.D. - $475,417
* Cankdeska Cikana Community College: Fort Totten, - N.D. $480,000
* N. Carolina Dept. of Health & Human Svs.: Raleigh, N.C. - $480,000
* Dept. of Serv. For Child, Yth & Their Fam.: Wilmington, Del. - $480,000
* University of South Florida: Tampa, Fla. - $480,000
* University of Hawaii: Honolulu, Hawaii - $479,209
* Missouri Dept. of Mental Health: Jefferson City, Mo. - $480,000
* Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation: Columbus, Ohio - $480,000
* Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Pa. - $477,706
* United Indian Health Services, Inc.: Arcata, Calif. - $429,638
* Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe: Nixon, Nev. - $244,475
The following is a list of the grantees and the funding they are projected to be awarded from the Affordable Care Act Prevention Funds.
* Pueblo of San Felipe San Felipe: Pueblo, N.M. - $1,440,000
* Native Am Rehabilitation Assoc. (NARA): Portland, Ore. - $1,440,000
* Muscogee (Creek) Nation: Okmulgee, Okla. - $1,440,000
* Tohono O'odham Nation: Sells, Ariz. - $1,440,000
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