The bill establishes the community behavioral health-care
continuum gap grant program (grant program) in the behavioral health administration (BHA). The BHA administers the grant program. As part of the grant program, the BHA may award community investment grants to support services along the continuum of behavioral health care and children, youth, and family services grants to expand youth-oriented and
family-oriented behavioral health-care services. A community-based organization, local government, or nonprofit organization is eligible for a grant award.
The BHA must develop a behavioral health-care services
assessment tool that grant applicants can use to identify regional gaps in services on the behavioral health-care service continuum. In awarding grants, the BHA shall give preference to applicants providing a service that addresses a gap in services identified with the assessment tool.
In order to receive a grant, an applicant must submit an application
and identify a source of contributing funds or nonfinancial contributing resources, such as in-kind contributions, that directly support the behavioral health-care services provided with the grant award.
Each grant recipient must report to the BHA information about the
use of the grant award. The state department of human services must include information about the grant program in its annual State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act hearing.
The bill appropriates $90 million from the behavioral and mental
health cash fund to the state department for the grant program.
