JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Governor Mike Parson authorized $37 million of CARES Act funding to mental health, according to a press release from the state’s Department of Mental Health.
A release from the state’s department of mental health said mental health services have changed dramatically due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Approximately $20 million is available for more than 350 Medicaid providers for the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Division of Developmental Disabilities. An allocation of $17.6 million is for providers of group home and individualized supported living (ISL) services, and $2.4 million for day habilitation and employment providers. The department said the funds will help cover losses during the period of March 1 to Dec. 30. Qualified providers will receive an application from DMH and must submit it by no later than Dec. 30.
Community behavioral healthcare providers, which include mental health and substance use services, will have $10 million available to help with staffing, technology improvements, enhancing the ability to serve individuals through non-traditional means, and resources for responding to increased crisis calls.
The release said a third investment is for $3.5 million for an Integrated Care Telehealth Training Center for both behavioral health services provided by DMH providers as well as primary care services offered by Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers.
The training center will allow both the Missouri Primary Care Association and the Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare to improve care for the nearly 500,000 citizens both systems serve. CARES Act funding will also be supplemented by these two organizations.
An additional $3.2 million is for telemedicine for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The funding will also extend the suicide prevention public education efforts.
“We recognize that COVID-19 has increased depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and other challenges which may lead to suicide and suicide attempts. By investing $620,000 into the current campaign we hope to reach all Missourians with information on resources to suicide prevention and especially citizens in suicidal crisis,” the release from the department of mental health said.
MORE LOCAL NEWS
