HHS and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have allocated $27.5 million to fund opportunities aimed at improving women's mental health in the U.S., along with an additional $1 million in grants.
The American Rescue Plan funding will be used to advance women's behavioral health by expanding access to services and strengthening provider identification and treatment of mental health conditions, substance use and gender-based violence, according to a July 8 news release from HHS.
The investments will also be used to support various initiatives designed to address issues such as maternal mental health, women's health research and overdose prevention, according to the release.
Here is a summary of the funding opportunities:
- $15 million to community-based maternal behavioral health services programs
- $12.5 million to improve the capacity of women's mental healthcare providers through training and technical assistance that includes individual consultation, targeted technical assistance and coaching, learning communities and online educational materials.
"Women in all stages of life face unique challenges when it comes to mental health and substance use conditions and accessing quality behavioral healthcare," Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, HHS assistant secretary for mental health and substance use and the leader of SAMHSA, said in the release. "This funding invests in whole person care for women and mothers and addresses issues of access and other inequities with critically needed resources."