07/22/2024 | Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Funding Flows to Boards

OhioMHAS has awarded more than $1.4 million to 35 ADAMHS Boards as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) Communities grant initiative. BSCA provides funding to help states address behavioral health system preparedness and enhance community emergency preparedness and response strategies that offset the traumatic experiences and lingering consequences of tragedies that may happen within our Ohio communities.

"With funding from the SAMHSA Bipartisan Safer Communities Act we are supporting multidisciplinary mobile crisis teams, providing crisis response training, and strengthening state and local partnerships to ensure a swift behavioral health response in the wake of traumatic events," said OhioMHAS Director LeeAnne Cornyn.

Major tasks include: developing new or enhanced mental health emergency plans; reinforcing collaboration between behavioral health, law enforcement, justice systems, local agencies, and public health stakeholders; trainings to agencies and providers; CLC tailored messaging about behavioral health supports; mobile crisis response units and development of research and evidence-based assessment of services for those affected by mental health emergency/crisis-related trauma.