CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The Bureau for Behavioral Health and the West Virginia Department of Human Resources was awarded federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

More than $33 million in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration was awarded to the West Virginia Department of Human Resources and the Bureau for Behavioral Health to sustain or enhance mental health and substance use prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery services for West Virginians no matter their age.

BBH and its partners are seizing every opportunity to meet our state’s behavioral health needs. With this funding, we are not only addressing the immediate needs of our communities but also investing in the long-term well-being of West Virginians.

Dawn Cottingham-Frohna | Commissioner for DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health

The awarded funds include:

  • $1,678,044- Provided annually over five years by the Promoting the Integration of Primary and Behavioral Healthcare grant to help adults that have severe mental heal issues and have co-occurring chronic diseases, physical health conditions, and adults with a substance use disorder. The project covers 16 counties in the state, and partner agencies for this project include Southern Highlands Community Behavioral Health Center, United Summit Center, and Seneca Health Services Inc.
  • $800,000- Provided annually over four years by the First Responders- Comprehensive and Recovery Act grant that builds on the Police and Peers program applied by the DHHR’s Office of Drug Control Policy. The Bluefield Police Department, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office will work together with Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, Fayette County Health Department, and Logan County Health Department will handle the activities.
  • $300,000- Provided annually for two years by the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness grant and will help the care for adults in the Mountain State and encourage access to permanent housing and mental health referrals, treatment for substance abuse, and services for health care. Grantees are in areas in the state that have the most need, based off of the population of homeless individuals. These locations include Raleigh County Community Action, the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, Westbrook Health Services, the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, and the Prestera Center.
  • $750,000- Provided annually for five years by the Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders program from the Health Resources and Services Administration by helping increase health care providers’ ability to assess, screen treat, and refer pregnant and postpartum women for SUD and maternal mental health. The program will be applied by the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership’s Drug Free Moms and Babies Project who will be working with the Bureau for Behavioral Health.
  • $1,251,440- Provided annually for three years by the Cooperative Agreements for States and Territories to Improve Local 988 Capacity to increase the capacity of the Mountain State’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline center that is funded by the Bureau for Behavioral Health and run by First Choice Services to answer texts, calls, and chats in the state. First Choice Services also received $500,000 from Cooperative Agreements for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Crisis Center Follow-Up Programs, as well as a National Chat and Text Backup Center award from Vibrant Emotional Health that will help answer chat and text overflow from over 200 local 988 centers nationwide.
  • $3,000,000- Provided annually for four years by the Children’s Mental Health Initiative to give resources to help mental health outcomes for children and and teens up to 21-years-old that are at risk, have serious emotional disturbance, or serious mental illness, and their families with connections to community-based behavioral health services and mobile crisis response through the 24/7 Children’s Crisis and Referral Line (844-HELP4WV).
  • $330,000- Provided annually for five years by the Behavioral Health Partnership for Early Diversion of Adults and Youth to create or expand programs that redirect youth and young adults up to 25-years-old with a co-occurring disorder or mental illness from the juvenile or criminal justice system to substance use disorder and community-based mental health services.