State of Oklahoma Receives More Than $14.7 Million for Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Charles Curie today announced the award of $14.7 million to Oklahoma over five years for a Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant to transform the state’s mental health system to reflect consumer and family needs and focus on facilitating recovery. Curie presented a symbolic “big check” to Governor Brad Henry during a ceremony in Oklahoma City.

“This new grant will significantly advance the transformation agenda outlined in the federal action agenda for mental health care,” Curie said. “People with mental disorders have a vital role to play in our families, our neighborhoods, our communities, and our country. Their ability to participate fully can no longer be derailed by outdated science, outmoded financing systems, and unspoken discrimination.”

The Oklahoma award is part of $92.5 million awarded to seven states. The states that receive the awards, administered by SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services, will serve as platforms for learning about what strategies and activities do and do not work in transforming the states’ mental health and related systems. In partnerships with these states, SAMHSA will communicate successful strategies and activities to other states, territories, and tribes and tribal organizations in order to improve and accelerate transformation across the nation.

Oklahoma’s grant — totaling $2.73 million for the first year and $3 million for each of the remaining four years — will be used to develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive mental health plan that will help develop a strong, sustainable infrastructure to promote lasting changes across all state agencies, enabling persons with mental illness to access individualized care and support expeditiously and to achieve and sustain recovery.

The grants require the grantees to enlist consumers and family members as active partners in all transformation planning and activities. They also require grantees to take a life span approach to services and to provide a continuum of services including promotion, prevention, treatment, and recovery.

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 system.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

CONTACT: Shelly Burgess of SAMHSA, +1-240-276-2130

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