Millions in Funding Available to Address Women’s Mental Health Concerns
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is making $27.5 million in funding available to help community-based organizations better assist women dealing with behavioral or substance abuse issues.
The funding opportunities are being administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Each is intended to target the unique behavioral health treatment needs of women, and to expand access to services addressing mental health conditions, substance abuse and gender-based violence.
In addition, SAMHSA has announced it will award nearly $1 million in grants to two recipients providing necessary services for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders.
Studies show that each year, one in five women experience some kind of mental health crisis, and 53% of these women report having experienced physical or sexual abuse.
Administration officials said the new round of funding reflects the White House’s commitment to address mental health concerns and bring down overdose statistics across the nation.
One of the funding opportunities is coming though SAMHSA’s Community-Based Maternal Behavioral Health Services Program.
It will provide a total of $15 million to expand access to timely and culturally-relevant maternal mental health and substance abuse intervention and treatment.
The program also aims to strengthen community referral pathways and provide easy transitions in care for women who are at risk for behavioral health conditions in both perinatal and postpartum stages of maternity.
Recipients of this funding will collaborate with pregnancy and postpartum health care organizations, refer individuals in need of care to the appropriate offices and provide mental health and substance use services to those who do not have access to the appropriate care.
The other program will provide $12.5 million in funding through SAMHSA’s Women’s Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center.
This program opens opportunities to women’s behavioral health providers and general health care providers that offer care for women by addressing their individual needs.
The goal is to increase the implementation of evidence-based practices in women’s behavioral health through training and technical assistance. Providers will be assisted with one-on-one consultation, specified technical assistance, coaching, educating communities and online educational materials.
These investments also support the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, HHS’ Overdose Prevention Strategy and the Maternal Mental Health Task Force’s National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care.
“Ensuring the mental health and well-being of expectant and new mothers is a top priority for the Department of Health and Human Services,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a written statement.
“By funding community-based maternal behavioral health services, we can offer critical support to women and ultimately invest in America’s families,” he said.
The grants awarded by SAMHSA are directed towards lending a hand to pregnant and postpartum women. These advancements are to support the mental health of women going through maternity and to reverse the overdose incline that has continued to rise over the past several years.
The eligible applicants to these programs include state and local governments, tribal organizations, nonprofit community-based entities, primary care organizations and behavioral health organizations.
“Women in all stages of life face unique challenges when it comes to mental health and substance use conditions and accessing quality behavioral health care” said HHS Assistant Secretary Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon in a written statement.
“This funding invests in whole person care for women and mothers, and addresses issues of access and other inequities with critically needed resources,” she said.
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