CHRIS 180, a social services organization based in Atlanta, is one of five recipients in Georgia to receive a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The four-year, $4 million grant will be used to develop a certified community behavioral health center, according to a news release from the organization. CHRIS 180 is the only private provider in the state to receive the grant.
CBHCs were developed in 2014 with the goal of increasing access to mental health services in vulnerable and underserved populations through the integration of physical care services with mental health and substance abuse services, the release said.
Georgia ranks last in access to mental health services, according to the 2023 rankings by Mental Health America. CHRIS 180 seeks to address these disparities by providing counseling services in DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties and 70 schools in the Atlanta area, according to the release.