Reeves announces nearly $13.5M in spending on youth mental health services

By Anna Hu | Originally published by Mississippi Today

Mississippi is set to spend nearly $13.5 million into mental health support for youth, Governor Tate Reeves announced Thursday. 

The funds come from federal pandemic relief money and will expand access to mental healthcare and telehealth, while supporting students training in behavioral health and counseling. The grants, earmarked by the Mississippi Development Authority, will go to the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its partners. 

Funding includes:

• $3 million for the Child Access to Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, which serves low-income children in Mississippi. Funding will help cover costs for personnel and training.
• $1.4 million for the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, creating 35 scholarships for nursing students who commit to working in underserved areas of Mississippi.
• $1.2 million for the Substance Use Disorder Telehealth and Education Program to provide schools and primary care clinics education on screening young adults for substance use disorders. 
• $3.5 million for the Universities Network of Integrated Telemental Expansion Clinics, which helps students at Mississippi public universities and the University of Mississippi Medical Center access free mental health services. Funding will be used to cover personnel costs, update the patient records system, and create marketing around the clinic’s services. 
• $2.9 million for the Mental Health Workforce Training Program to support personnel and trainees in psychology, mental health counseling, and social work who will specialize in caring for children and young adults. 
• $1.4 million for the Mississippi Community Engagement Alliance to train school staff and community members working with youth from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Mississippi HBCUs on how to respond to mental health needs. 

“These investments are an important reminder of our commitment to health care today and to the future of our state,” Reeves said in a press release. 

This story was produced with support from the Sarah Yelena Haselhorst Fund for Health Journalism.

This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Source: Original Article