Bsca center for mental health block grants

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) in Georgia received $1,419,836 in federal funding through the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program (CFDA 93.958) administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The award, dated September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 29, 2027, supports comprehensive community-based mental health services for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance. Services delivered through this block grant include outpatient counseling, crisis intervention, case management, substance abuse treatment, peer support programming, housing assistance, and workforce training initiatives.

DBHDD implements these services through a network of community service boards, mental health centers, and nonprofit partners throughout Georgia. The program requires DBHDD to maintain systems of integrated services for children with serious emotional disturbance, set aside 10 percent of funds for evidence-based programs targeting individuals with early serious mental illness including psychotic disorders, and expend funds only through qualified community programs and nonprofit entities. Up to 5 percent of grant funds may be used for administrative purposes, with statutory restrictions prohibiting inpatient services, capital improvements, and direct cash payments to service recipients.