State providing grants for local drug, mental health efforts

Local organizations helping tackle the drug epidemic and mental health crisis are receiving shares of more than $76 million dollars through the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to provide crisis response and other services.

The agency announced yesterday that its Division of Mental Health and Addiction ­is providing the new funding to help build and support projects across Indiana to improve mental health and recovery services. The funding comes through the federal American Rescue Plan Act and the National Opioid Settlement.

Bartholomew County organizations will receive more than $718 thousand dollars in grants. That includes $324 thousand to Bridge to Dove to purchase and furnish a women’s recovery house, $262 thousand dollars to Centerstone of Indiana to start up and furnish a transitional housing facility and more than $132 thousand to Volunteers of America to expand a women’s recovery facility into a Level III facility along with case management.

Shelbyville is receiving nearly $407 thousand dollars, Jennings County nearly $85 thousand and Jackson $600 thousand.

Those grants include:

City of Shelbyville to provide funding for uninsured mothers and first responders to
access treatment for substance use and mental health needs. Funding will also support programming in transition services from the jail into the community.
Jennings County government to employ a program coordinator to connect individuals to services across the care continuum.
Schneck Medical Center in Jackson County to support recovery and harm reduction services, and to provide resources for incarcerated individuals.

The agency also announced that Centerstone will be receiving more than $3 million for the Stride Centers in Columbus and Bloomington, to help adults experiencing mental health crisis. That is part of $57 million in statewide grants going to 15 community health centers across the state.