Nevada Child and Family Services awarded $12M to improve children’s mental health system
CARSON CITY — The Division of Child and Family Services was one of 28 organizations to be awarded the System of Care Expansion and Sustainability grants of $3 million per year for four years, the state agency announced Friday.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, announced the recipients of the 2019 Grants for Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances or the System of Care Expansion and Sustainability Grants.
The Nevada System of Care aims to sustain and build upon the successful foundation and progress achieved under the 2015-2019 SOC implementation grant while expanding evidence-based services and supports for children and youth (ages birth to 21) who experience or are at risk of Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED) and their families.
DCFS Administrator Ross Armstrong said, “This much-needed investment is critical as we seek to move the needle on children’s mental health in Nevada. The successful application would not have been successful without the collaboration of dedicated community partners.”
Based on priorities that emerged from the current SOC implementation grant, DCFS is proposing the following expansions: (1) Increase capacity to provide family-driven, youth-guided, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services to a greater number of children and youth in the state. (2) Increase access to mental health services through a “single point of entry” system. (3) Improve care coordination and services at the appropriate intensity level that matches youth and family needs. (4) Increase access to evidence-based mental health interventions by expanding the service array. (5) Increase capacity of services to special target populations, such as early childhood (ages 0-6), transitional age youth (14-21), and youth with dual diagnosis.
Visit www.dcfs.nv.gov for information about DCFS and its programs.