For the Tomahawk Leader
WISCONSIN – North Central Health Care (NCHC), which serves Lincoln, Langlade and Marathon counties, was among the recipients of grant funds allocated to community behavioral health services that will provide access to mental health and substance use treatment and recovery supports through telehealth.
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), on Wednesday, July 27, awarded more than $2.5 million to 27 providers.
NCHC was awarded $100,000.00, according to data from Evers’ office.
A release from Evers’ office said grantees will use the one-time funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to expand access to these services by removing location and technology barriers to care.
Private behavioral health telehealth stations with the tools needed for virtual appointments will be set up in central locations for people who may be struggling to access the services they need. This includes community centers, food pantries, homeless shelters, libraries, long-term care facilities and schools, according to the release.
The grantees include health care systems, counseling practices and wellness centers.
“From March until May of this year, behavioral health providers were invited to partner with community-based organizations and apply for funding to increase access to telehealth services,” the release stated. “DHS received 38 applications through this competitive grant process. Providers who submitted applications that most aligned with the goals of this funding opportunity received grants.”
The release said awardees will begin receiving funding this fall, and contracts will last for one year. All of the neighborhood telehealth access points should be operational by no later than summer 2023.
“The grants announced today are part of a series of investments funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to make behavioral health services more available and accessible across Wisconsin,” the release stated.
“Every Wisconsinite should have access to quality, affordable health care they need when they need it, and that includes behavioral and mental health services,” Evers said. “These grants will help ensure more folks can meet with a provider no matter where they live, closing gaps in services and building a behavioral health system that works for everyone at a time when treatment and recovery supports for mental health and substance use are more important than ever.”
“Through these grants we are promoting trauma-informed and culturally responsive behavioral health services by meeting clients where they are,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “These grants will make it possible for behavioral health providers across Wisconsin to create secure, community-based access points for behavioral health services.”
Call 211 to learn about community mental health and substance use services in Wisconsin.
View the list of grantees, the award amounts, and the service area for each grantee at www.bit.ly/3ze7hmt.