Block grants for community mental health services

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services $43.880691 million under the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program (CFDA 93.958) on October 1, 2025, for the period through September 30, 2027.

The Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program provides formula funding to states and territories for comprehensive community-based mental health services to adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance, including outpatient counseling, crisis intervention, case management, peer support, and housing assistance. Up to 5 percent of grant funds may be used for administering the award. States must expend not less than the amount expended in fiscal year 1994 and must set aside 10 percent of their allocation for programs showing strong evidence of effectiveness targeting individuals with early serious mental illness including psychotic disorders.

Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services distributes funding to multiple sub-recipients delivering services across the state in Nashville, Tennessee. Sub-recipients include Nami Tennessee, Inc., providing peer support groups, family education programs, and Crisis Intervention Team training for police officers; Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System, delivering clinical services and Intensive Long-term Support programs to individuals transitioning from Regional Mental Health Institutes and forensics-involved populations; Tennessee Voices For Children, Inc., providing clinical and non-clinical services supporting discharge and community integration; Tennessee Respite Coalition, operating the Respite Voucher Program and Tennessee Respite Helpline for families with children having serious emotional disturbance or autism spectrum disorder; Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug & Other Addiction Services (Taadas), delivering Certified Peer Recovery Specialist training programs; Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee, conducting Mental Health America online screening tool outreach and social media mental health awareness campaigns across Middle and West Tennessee; Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Inc., providing online screening tool access and social media outreach in East Tennessee counties; and Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, operating the Tennessee Disability Pathfinder website and call center.