SAMHSA Community Mental Health Center Grant

SAMHSA is accepting applications for the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) grant program. The purpose of this program is to enable community mental health centers to support and restore the delivery of clinical services that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and effectively address the needs of individuals with serious emotional disturbance (SED), serious mental illness (SMI), and individuals with SMI or SED and substance use disorders, referred to as co-occurring disorder (COD).

The SAMHSA CMHC grant is open until May 21, 2021. Importantly, we wanted to share with you the definition of CMHCs as defined by Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act to ensure clarity about the wide array of non-profit providers that are eligible to apply.

Definition of Community Mental Health Centers per Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act:

• With respect to mental health services, the centers provide services as follows:The mental health services of the centers are provided, within the limits of the capacities of the centers, to any individual residing or employed in the service area of the center regardless of ability to pay for such services.
  • Services principally to individuals residing in a defined geographic area (hereafter in this subsection referred to as a "service area").
  • Outpatient services, including specialized outpatient services for children, the elderly, individuals with a serious mental illness, and residents of the service areas of the centers who have been discharged from inpatient treatment at a mental health facility.
  • 24-hour-a-day emergency care services.
  • Day treatment or other partial hospitalization services, or psychosocial rehabilitation services.
  • Screening for patients being considered for admission to State mental health facilities to determine the appropriateness of such admission.
• The mental health services of the centers are available and accessible promptly, as appropriate and in a manner, which preserves human dignity and assures continuity and high-quality care. 

In Ohio, your OhioMHAS certification as a “community mental health provider” provided under RC 5119.36 will offer your organization the documentation necessary to demonstrate your state licensure as a CMHC, the services you provide, and locations you serve.  SAMHSA is going to accept this information given the absence of a standard federal CMHC definition. Additionally, if compelled, you can use your national accreditation to support your service activities and MH designation.  We encourage members to consider applying for these one-time funds.  There is $825 million available for this program.