AWARE has received a $4 million, four-year grant for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Planning, Development, and Implementation from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
As a statewide nonprofit organization that offers quality, community-based support for people with mental health and/or developmental disabilities, AWARE will use the grant funding to provide the full continuum of CCBHC services to individuals of all ages in Lewis & Clark County.
AWARE's CCBHC project is poised to meet the pressing, unmet health needs and gaps in Lewis & Clark County by revitalizing community-based services, under the comprehensive CCBHC model that will springboard services into a community with proven need.
Matt Bugni, chief executive officer for AWARE, said, “I am proud of our team for putting together an outstanding application that demonstrated the need for this approach to care and why AWARE is the organization to do it in Lewis & Clark County. It is a significant accomplishment to be recognized by SAMHSA. We are proud to be selected and trusted to do this work while serving our community.”
AWARE’s CCBHC will coordinate healthcare services for our community's most vulnerable individuals by investing in a network designed to provide a seamless, integrated process to address each person's unique health needs. This integrated approach will leverage community collaborations to support physical and behavioral health care while offering broader connection to supports not traditionally provided by primary care by connecting clients with housing, employment and other social services.
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to transform community behavioral health systems and provide comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health care by: assisting organizations in the planning for and development and implementation of a new CCBHC that meets the CCBHC Certification Criteria; providing a comprehensive range of outreach, screening, assessment, treatment, care coordination, and recovery supports based on a needs assessment that aligns with the CCBHC Certification Criteria; and supporting recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorders (SUD) by providing access to high-quality mental health and SUD services, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.
To learn more about Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/certified-community-behavioral-health-clinics.
AWARE will soon be looking to fill positions, including clinicians, case managers, child and family specialists and administrative assistants to start expanding services in early 2024.