Decatur, GA – DeKalb Community Service Board (CSB) has been awarded a $5 million Community Mental Health Centers grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

DeKalb Community Service Board has been awarded a grant for $5 million from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This two-year grant will support and restore delivery of clinical services for citizens in DeKalb County impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Service delivery will be focused on minority and/ or economically disadvantaged individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), or co-occurring disorders (COD). SAMHSA recognizes the needs of individuals with behavioral health conditions, especially those in minority populations and economically disadvantaged communities, have not been met during the pandemic.

“This is wonderful opportunity to expand many of the innovative DeKalb CSB clinical programs developed as a result of the pandemic with our diverse DeKalb County citizens in mind.” Fabio van der Merwe, CHC, Chief Executive Officer

The goals of the project include expanding telehealth capabilities in community settings, schools, jails, and other criminal justice locations through the use of mobile mental health clinic vans and kiosks; providing outpatient services for individuals with SMI, SED, COD in DeKalb County; providing trauma informed screening, assessment, diagnosis, and patient-centered treatment planning and treatment delivery, and clinical and recovery support services through targeted case management. The Grant will also support staff training on how to reduce behavioral health disparities, utilize strategies to engage and retain diverse client populations, and deliver trauma-focused care.

“We have several partnerships within DeKalb County that helps us to do our work well, including DeKalb County Schools, DeKalb County Government, DeKalb County Police Department, and many others. These partnerships will be critically important for the success of the project.” Toni Dixon, MBA, Business Development Manager

The DeKalb Community Service Board (CSB) is an innovative, premier public nonprofit provider of community-based behavioral health, substance use disorder, and intellectual and developmental disability services. Our mission is to provide the right service, for the right person, at the right time. We envision a community in which disabilities no longer limit potential.

With over 20 locations, DeKalb CSB provides quality, individualized services with a focus on self- directed mental wellness, recovery, and habilitation to help individuals achieve their fullest participation within the community. We are helping make brighter tomorrows. DeKalb CSB has served the citizens of DeKalb County and metropolitan Atlanta since 1994.

 

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