Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Award Summary

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services awarded $7.86 million in Block Grant funding (CFDA 93.958) to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. This two-year block grant enables DBHDS to develop and maintain comprehensive community-based mental health services targeting adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances throughout Virginia.

Under this award, DBHDS delivers a range of evidence-based behavioral health interventions and support services, including outpatient counseling, crisis intervention, case management, housing assistance, peer support, and substance abuse treatment. The department implements these services through a collaborative network of sub-award partners including Virginia Commonwealth University, local health departments, and community organizations. Up to five percent of the grant funds may be used for administration, while funds are restricted from use on inpatient services, capital improvements, or cash payments to service recipients. DBHDS is required to set aside ten percent of the allocation for early intervention programs targeting serious mental illness, including psychotic disorders, and must maintain service expenditure levels consistent with prior-year baselines.