SAMHSA Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) Grant

SAMHSA Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) Grant

Funder: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Award Amount: $5,000,000

Award Duration: 2 years

Geographic Scope: 8 Counties in Northwest Arkansas, operations in 150+ schools

Focus Areas:

Delivering services to individuals with serious mental illness (SMI)

Services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED)

Support for individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders (COD)

Restoring and enhancing clinical services impacted by COVID-19

Expanding crisis response services

Building staff capacity

Program Description:
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded Ozark Guidance, an affiliate of Arisa Health, a $5,000,000 Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) grant to deliver services over two years. The grant addresses unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic that hindered the agency's ability to adequately serve the client population.

Project Goals:

Expand Ozark Guidance's capacity to support consumers by hiring additional staff

Increase access to services

Build staff capacity through training, education, and technology

Enhance crisis response services

Organization Details:
Ozark Guidance Center is a nonprofit Community Mental Health Center serving 8 counties in Northwest Arkansas, operating in over 150 schools and governed by a local board of directors.

Award Date: October 2021

Key Quotes:
"We have seen the impact that the pandemic has had on both the access to and the demand for behavioral health care services. This funding will allow Ozark Guidance to better address the behavioral health care needs of the people in our community and enhance the delivery of clinical services that were impacted by Covid-19." - Dr. Erica Boughfman, Arisa Health Northwest Region Vice President of Clinical Services

"We are appreciative of the opportunity to enhance the behavioral health care services in our area through expansion of our crisis response services and increasing access to care through hiring of additional staff." - Kristen McAllister, LCSW, Director of Crisis and Forensics Services for the Northwest Region

Additional Resources:
More information available at: https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/202109281153