Federal Block Grant Award Summary

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) received a $6.26 million Block Grant for Community Mental Health Services (CFDA 93.958) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This two-year block grant funds comprehensive community-based mental health services for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances across Tennessee. Authorized services include outpatient counseling, crisis intervention, substance abuse treatment, case management, housing assistance, peer support services, and workforce training delivered through qualified community programs and community mental health centers.

TDMHSAS implements these services through a network of sub-grantees including Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System, Carey Counseling Center, and Centerstone of Tennessee, among other local mental health centers. Per program requirements, the state must maintain integrated service systems for children with serious emotional disturbance, set aside 10 percent of funds for evidence-based programs targeting early serious mental illness, and expend funds in compliance with state planning requirements. Up to 5 percent of grant funds may be used for administrative purposes, with funds available for obligation and expenditure through the end of the subsequent fiscal year.