HHS Awards $57 Million for Children's Mental Health; LOUISIANA Program Can Expect $9.5 Million Over 6 Years.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced $57 million over six years for seven cooperative agreements to develop systems of care that deliver community mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances, and their families.

HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will administer the seven cooperative agreements. First year funding totals $6,991,093. All seven grantees will develop community service systems for their targeted population and participate in a national multi-site evaluation to strengthen their capacity to care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances.

"The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health concluded that our nation's mental health service delivery system must provide services and treatments that are consumer and family-oriented," Secretary Thompson said. "These grants will help us move toward this end by helping many children with serious emotional disturbances, and their families."

"It is important that children in need of mental health services can be treated with quality services within their communities," SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie said. "These programs will promote more effective ways to organize, coordinate and deliver mental health services that are comprehensive and culturally-competent."

There are an estimated 4.5-6.3 million children and youth with serious emotional disturbances.

These awards are expected to last six years. Annual renewals of the awards depend on the availability of funds and progress achieved.

  The grantees include:

   Louisiana Says YES to Children Initiative, Orleans, Plaquemines, St.
   Bernard, Jefferson, and St. Tammany Parishes, La. -- $1,000,000 for the
   first year.  This project will incorporate a comprehensive and
   coordinated system of care for children with serious emotional and
   behavioral disorders.  The program is expected to receive $1,500,000 in
   year two, $2,500,000 in year three, 2,000,000 in year four, $1,500,000 in
   year five and $1,000,000 in year six.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems.

CONTACT: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Press Office, [phone]

Web site: http://www.samhsa.gov/