Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Award Summary

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services awarded $10.1 million to the Illinois Department of Human Services under the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program (CFDA 93.958) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This two-year block grant enables Illinois to develop and maintain comprehensive community-based mental health service networks targeting adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances across the state. The funding supports evidence-based services including outpatient counseling, crisis intervention, case management, peer support programs, housing assistance, and workforce training initiatives.

Illinois will distribute these block grant funds through sub-awards to local governments, community mental health centers, nonprofit organizations, and community-based service providers throughout the state. The award allows Illinois flexibility in resource allocation to meet statewide mental health service objectives, with up to 5 percent of funds designated for grant administration. Per statutory requirements, Illinois must allocate a minimum of 10 percent of the grant toward programs demonstrating strong evidence of effectiveness that target individuals with early serious mental illness, including psychotic disorders, while maintaining integrated service systems for children with serious emotional disturbance.