Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Award Summary

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Office of Behavioral Health, received a $4.1M block grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services under the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program (CFDA 93.958). The award, obligated on October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2027, supports Louisiana's delivery of comprehensive community-based mental health services to adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances across the state.

Under this two-year block grant, LDH will provide or facilitate a range of community mental health services, including outpatient counseling, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, case management, housing assistance, and peer support programs. Services will be delivered through qualified community providers such as community mental health centers, child mental health programs, and psychosocial rehabilitation programs. The funding supports LDH's statewide behavioral health system development while allowing up to 5 percent of grant funds for administrative expenses. The award requires the state to maintain existing funding levels for children's services and set aside 10 percent of the allocation for evidence-based programs targeting individuals with early serious mental illness, including psychotic disorders.