Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015 | 12:01 p.m.
The Nevada Division of Child and Family Services has been selected to receive a nearly $11 million federal grant to expand mental health services for children and tweak the delivery model, officials announced today.
The goal of the grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is to develop comprehensive mental health services and wrap-around support to enable children with serious emotional problems and their families to lead productive lives, officials said.
Activities associated with the grant program will last four years, with the state receiving $2.7 million per year.
The grant will help facilitate a major change in service delivery, with DCFS Children’s Mental Health moving from a direct-service provider to the authority on children’s mental health in the state, officials said.
Direct-care services will be transferred to community providers, allowing for more accountability and oversight in the care children receive.
“Every child should have access to a stable environment where they can imagine and pursue their dreams,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a statement. “These funds will serve our most vulnerable youth by empowering local community providers, which are best equipped to deliver these services, to foster an environment where children can succeed.”
The state’s needs were identified through the governor’s leadership team with support from children’s mental health consortiums operating in Clark County, Washoe County and rural areas. Sandoval and Richard Whitley, director of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, announced the grant this morning.
“Through the collaborative efforts of state and local agencies working with the mental health consortiums, Nevada has the framework in place to implement system-wide changes to ensure accountability and strengthen best practices,” Sandoval said.
State officials hope the changes result in children demonstrating improvement in their daily lives, an increase in behavioral and emotional strengths, fewer suicide attempts, improved school performance and attendance, fewer contacts with law enforcement, reduced reliance on inpatient care and more stable living situations.
