State Receives Grants to Continue Crisis Counseling Services for Flood and Tornado Victims

 

 

The extension will allow the department to continue collaborative efforts with five community mental health centers in Middle and West Tennessee to provide basic mental health services in affected communities including individual and group crisis counseling, public education, community networking and support, and both adult and child needs assessment and referral.

 

In addition to the grant extension TDMH received for last spring's flooding, two more separate and distinct recovery grants for communities in East and West Tennessee affected by disasters in the spring of 2011 have been awarded to the state. These were awarded after Tennessee had two new federal disaster declarations in 2011 in response to this year’s violent storms and flooding. “After another spring of historic devastation, the need for timely mental health services and materials is imperative,” stated Doug Varney, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health. “In times of disaster, people need to know that they are not alone, and that helpful resources and strategies are available across the state.”

 

The first grant of $195,570, which went into affect on May 17, 2011, serves individuals in East Tennessee and partners with Frontier Health in Johnson City and Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System in Murfreesboro. Services will be available through June 30.

 

The second grant of $114,108, which went into affect on May 24, 2011, serves individuals in West Tennessee and partners with Behavioral Health Initiatives in Jackson and Southeast Mental Health Center in Memphis. Services will be available through July 8.

 

Through these grants, services are now available for individuals in Bledsoe, Bradley, Greene, Hamilton, Johnson, McMinn, Rhea, Washington, Dyer, Lake, Obion, and Shelby Counties.

 

For a list of additional mental health resources or crisis services in your area visit www.tn.gov/mental or call TDMH’s Office of Consumer Affairs at (615) 532-6700 or 1-800-560-5767.

 

The community mental health centers listed below represent the providers under the recently received recovery grants. They will be providing mental health education, crisis counseling, and referral services to the counties listed.