Kansas will receive part of a $72.5 million grant to support Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics through training, technical help and infrastructure.
Grant support for Kansas behavioral health clinics
Kansas Reflector reports that Kansas, Illinois and Michigan have been awarded shares of a $72.5 million grant from the Ballmer Group to expand and improve access to behavioral health care. According to Kansas Reflector, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will administer the grant.
The source does not state how much of the total grant will go to Kansas. Kansas Reflector says the funding is intended to support Kansas’ network of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, or CCBHCs.
Training, technical help and infrastructure
According to Kansas Reflector, the grant will be used over the next three years for technical assistance, workforce training and infrastructure support for CCBHCs across Kansas. The source says Kansas currently has 26 CCBHCs, which it describes as part of the state’s mental health safety net.
Kansas Reflector reports that CCBHCs are required to offer a broad set of services. Those services include 24/7 crisis care, outpatient mental health and substance use treatment, and specialized services for veterans and their families.
The source says the initiative is intended to help clinics expand their operations as demand increases and to support a sustainable model of care. Kansas Reflector also reports that integrating physical and behavioral health is a focus of the effort.
State and national partners
Kansas Reflector reports that the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will work with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. According to the source, the partners will provide Kansas providers with tools intended to improve patient outcomes and address workforce shortages that have limited access to care.
The source identifies Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, as describing the grant as an opportunity for Kansas to lead in behavioral health innovation. Kansas Reflector says the Ballmer Group’s philanthropic support is designed to provide long-term stability for community-based programs serving vulnerable children and families.
Mental health access context
Kansas Reflector reports that Kansas rose from 51st to 18th in national mental health rankings within two years. The source says state leaders believe the grant can help sustain progress in access and support timely, evidence-based care closer to home.
What this means for Kansas patients
The grant concerns broader behavioral health services and does not specifically identify TMS services, according to Kansas Reflector. For people looking for treatment locally, the directory lists 36 published clinics in Kansas.
General information only, not medical advice.
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This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.