Treatment Advocacy Center Congratulates the 17 Recipients of SAMHSA AOT Grants
Treatment Advocacy Center is proud to announce that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed last week the winners of 17 federal grants that will fund new assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs over the next four years. The grantees include diverse communities from across the nation. Each award is an opportunity to ensure better outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness who struggle to stay engaged in treatment.
The full list of recipients are:
- AltaPointe Health Systems, Inc. Mobile, AL
- Mental Health Center of Denver Denver, CO
- Centerstone of Florida, Inc. Lee County, FL
- Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Sangamon County, IL
- Kentucky State Cabinet/Health/Family Services Regional programs, KY
- St. Tammany Parish District Court Covington, LA
- Administrative Office of the Trial Court Boston, MA
- Calhoun County Community Mental Health Authority Battlecreek, MI
- Genesee Health System Flint, MI
- Ozark Center, Inc. Joplin, MO
- Communicare Oxford, MS
- Partners Behavioral Health Management Gastonia, NC
- Oklahoma Department of Mental Health/Substance Abuse Five Counties, OK
- Austin Travis County Integral Care Austin, TX
- Pecan Valley Mental Health Mental Retardation Region Granbury, TX
- The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD Houston, TX
- Milwaukee County DHS- Behavioral Health Division Milwaukee, WI
These grants would not be possible without the tireless efforts of Treatment Advocacy Center supporters.
When the Treatment Advocacy Center presented the idea for the grant program to the White House and Congress in 2013, friends of Treatment Advocacy Center wrote letters, shared our social media posts and joined us in meetings with lawmakers to help make this vision a reality.
The impact of those efforts is obvious in the successes of the first round of grantees from 2016: SAMHSA compared participant data from before and during AOT and found steep declines in hospitalization, incarceration and homelessness. An amazing 92% of participants surveyed said they appreciated the services they received under AOT.
“Such positive outcomes point to an exciting and successful future for the next round of grantees. With each grant, we take another step forward in our mission to ensure that timely and effective treatment is available to everyone with severe mental illness, regardless of their ability to volunteer for care,” said Brian Stettin, Policy Director at Treatment Advocacy Center.
“There is still more work to be done, but with your continued support, we will keep fighting for people with severe mental illness and their families.”