Ask your state mental health director to apply for these federal funds to expand Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)

(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 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-113publ93/pdf/PLAW-113publ93.pdf 

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

Assisted Outpatient Treatment Pilot Program Grants Passed by Congress

On Monday, March 31, 2014, the Senate passed H.R.4302 which included $60 million for Assisted Outpatient Treatment Pilot Programs. Following is the text of the legislation (Followed by the text of the Excellence in Mental Health Act which was also included in HR 4302) 

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SEC. 224. ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT GRANT PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.

(a) In General- The Secretary shall establish a 4-year pilot program to award not more than 50 grants each year to eligible entities for assisted outpatient treatment programs for individuals with serious mental illness.