Up to $2.3 million in funding will help up to 11 new statewide consumer networks strengthen coalitions among consumers, peers, policymakers, and service providers, Pamela S. Hyde, the administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced today.
Consumer networks can foster peer support groups and offer training for peer support leaders. Grantees also provide counseling services for persons with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
"These community-based, trained peer support networks provide essential services to individuals and families throughout our country, and their positive impact cannot be overstated," said Hyde. "The innovative and holistic approaches to behavioral health support provided through these networks can help communities meet a wide array of mental illness and substance abuse disorders."
Grantees will receive up to $70,000 per year for up to three years. The actual amounts of the grants will depend on the availability of funds.
The grant recipients and their yearly awards are:
SC SHARE West Columbus, S.C. $70,000
Advocacy Unlimted, Inc. Wethersfield, Conn $70,000
Mental Health Empowerment Project Albany, N.Y. $68,223
Wings Across Alabama Montgomery, Ala. $70,000
South Dakota United for Hope & Recovery Rapid City, S.D. $70,000
Alaska Peer Support Consortium Anchorage, Alaska $69,902
Amistad, Inc. Portland, Maine $68,700
NAMI Texas Austin, Texas $70,000
Fresh Start of Miami-Dade Miami Gardens, Fla. $70,000
Kansas Consumer Advisory Council for Adults Wichita, Kan. $70,000
Grassroots Empowerment Project, Inc. Madison, Wis. $69,992
Rapid increase seen in the diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental health problems