Senator Stabenow Announces Over $500,000 in Funding to Expand Mental Health and Addiction Services at Genesee Health System

New and Expanded Services Made Possible by Stabenow’s Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act

Friday, September 30, 2022

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced $518,523 to expand mental health and addiction services at Genesee Health System. This funding builds on Senator Stabenow’s effort to transform the way we fund mental health and addiction treatment in America through her signature Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.

 

Genesee Health System will receive $518,523 in funding (per year for four years) to continue and expand services in Flint. Since 2018, Michigan has received over $151 million in grant funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. 

 

“Because of the hard work of so many of our community partners, our mental health care and addiction initiative is a proven success story,” said Stabenow. “In Michigan and across our country, we are finally transforming the way we deliver high-quality services in our communities and the results are clear. Now more people who are struggling with mental health issues or addiction will get the treatment they need close to home.”

 

“GHS has had great successes with service expansion that would not have otherwise been possible without a CCBHC Expansion Grant. We have been able to develop a CIT (Crisis Intervention Training) program for law enforcement, and we opened a Behavioral Health Urgent Care center for crisis intervention and stabilization. With new funding, we will be able to offer therapy services for the uninsured/underinsured, train additional staff in evidence based practices, and continue to build infrastructure as we expand,” said Genesee Health System CEO Danis Russell.

 

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are required to provide a comprehensive set of services including 24/7/365 crisis services; outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services; immediate screenings, risk assessments, and diagnoses; and care coordination including partnerships with emergency rooms, law enforcement, and veterans’ groups. The clinics will be reimbursed through Medicaid for the full cost of providing services—the same way we fund community health centers for physical care. Senators Stabenow and Blunt created these community clinics through the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, which became law in 2014.

 

Earlier this year, Senators Stabenow and Blunt championed the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included their nationwide initiative to provide every state with funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in their communities—building on a successful effort that has shown results across the country. Michigan joined their initiative in 2020.

 

A report authored by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing shows that these community clinics are increasing access to high-quality mental health and addiction treatment that is making a difference in the lives of thousands of people in communities across the country.

 

Statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services show that people who received services at these clinics: 

·         Had 69% fewer emergency department visits. 

·         Spent 60.3% less time in jails. 

·         Saw a 40.7% decrease in homelessness.

 

Also, 84% of these clinics either already provide direct services on site at elementary, middle, and high schools or plan to in the future.

 

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