Public Comment on Community Mental Health Block Grant Plan

Public Comment on Community Mental Health Block Grant Plan
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is submitting an application to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for Block Grant funding for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2010 for Community Mental Health services for youth and adults throughout the state’s 11 health and human services regions. These federal funds provide approximately 31 million dollars a year to Texas for the provision of Community Mental Health Services.

The Mental Health Block grant program awards funds to states to establish or expand an organized, community-based system for providing mental health services for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbances (SED). Funds awarded are to be used to carry out the approved state plan, to evaluate programs and services set in place under the plan, and to conduct planning, administration and educational activities related to the provision of services under the plan. The Community Mental Health Services Block Grant accounts for approximately 7% of DSHS expenditures of Community Mental Health.

For complete details on submitting public comments on the Draft Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) Plan, please see the MHBG page. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Saving Time, Thursday, August 14, 2009.