(June/July 2015)
Thanks to Rep. Tim Murphy, there is new federal funding available that can be used to expand access to assisted outpatient treatment. Following is the draft of a letter you should
send your state mental health director, local mental health director and share
with anyone who is operating an AOT program in your state encouraging them to apply for the funds.
Name of Mental Health Director
Title
Name of Dept
Street
City, State, Zip
Re: Apply for Federal Certified Community
Behavioral Health Clinic Funding and use it expand availability of Assisted
Outpatient Treatment
Dear name of state mental health
director:
The “Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014”
(H.R. 4302, 2013-2014) established funding for eight states to create two-year Demonstration
Projects allowing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to be reimbursed
prospectively to help people with serious mental illness. As the result of
action by Rep. Tim Murphy, Section 223(d)(4(iii) of the
law (P.L. 113-93) states that
“preference should be given to those (Demonstration Project applicants) that “will improve availability of, access to, and participation in Assisted Outpatient
mental health treatment in the State.” The bill is at
On June 8, SAMHSA is hosting a pre-application webinar
to inform you how to apply for funding for the Demonstration Programs. See http://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sm-16-001-webinar-notification_0.pdf. Your application must be submitted by August 5,
2015. Comprehensive information on all of this is at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-16-001.
We strongly urge you to apply for these funds
and to specifically use them to increase the availability of Assisted
Outpatient Treatment (AOT) in (name of state).
Thank you very much.
Name
Cc: Local Mental Health Director
Local Programs with AOT program
