Capital Area Human Services (CAHS) has been awarded a four-year federal grant, totaling $3.9 million to plan and develop a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.
The new grant was awarded from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and includes two Baton Rouge-based collaborating agencies, LSU-Social Research and Evaluation Center and the Bridge Center for Hope.
“The purpose of this planning and implementation grant is to create a high quality, community behavioral health clinic to provide comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health care by establishing certified round-the-clock services, including for those in crisis and especially to individuals facing health disparities,” said CAHS Executive Director Jan Laughinghouse.
Behavioral health services will include any individual who seeks care, including those with serious mental illness, substance use disorder including opioid use; children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance; individuals with co-occurring mental and substance disorders; and individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
Through well-planned development, CAHS will pinpoint groups facing health disparities, communities, or pockets of communities by using research data, needs assessments; and community input to strategically implement a comprehensive range of outreach, screening, assessment, treatment, care coordination, and recovery supports.
One of the grant requirements specifies one licensed behavioral health specialist dedicated to active military and veterans as a part of the team. Other staff and elements will include a project director, project evaluator/evaluation team, three case managers, three peer support specialists, office manager, afterhours crisis mobile response, and 24/7 crisis stabilization services.
“We are keenly aware of the increasing needs for behavioral health services throughout the Capital Area, particularly in our rural communities, and this grant will provide the resources to provide greater access to those most in need,” Laughinghouse added.