Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Award Summary

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services awarded $3,075,378 to the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Office of Finance, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This Block Grant for Community Mental Health Services (CFDA 93.958) provides comprehensive community-based mental health services to Arkansas residents, including adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Authorized services encompass outpatient counseling, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, case management, housing assistance, peer support, workforce training, and public education initiatives.

The funding supports Arkansas's implementation of a comprehensive community-based mental health service system delivered through qualified community mental health centers, child mental health programs, psychosocial rehabilitation programs, and mental health peer-support programs. The state maintains discretion in allocating funds to achieve program objectives, subject to statutory and regulatory requirements. Per program guidelines, up to 5 percent of grant funds may be utilized for administrative purposes, and the state is required to set aside 10 percent for implementing evidence-based programs targeting individuals with early serious mental illness, including psychotic disorders. The award period extends through the subsequent fiscal year, consistent with standard Block Grant obligation and expenditure timelines.