CSWE Full Circle August 2014

Volume 2014, Issue 8

HHS Awards $54.6 Million in Affordable Care Act Mental Health Services Funding

Health and Human Services recently announced that it has awarded $54.6 million in Affordable Care Act funding to support 221 health centers in 47 states and Puerto Rico to establish or expand behavioral health services for over 450,000 people nationwide. Health centers will use these new funds for efforts such as hiring new mental health professionals, adding mental health and substance use disorder health services, and employing integrated models of primary care. The Affordable Care Act expanded mental health and substance use disorder benefits for approximately 60 million Americans. The announcement gives those with newly expanded health coverage additional opportunities to access high quality care.