County Commission awards $3.5 million to mental health and substance abuse programs
Glenwood was awarded the largest amount on Thursday. (WBMA)
Jefferson County Commissioners have approved more than $3.5 million in American Rescue funds for14 mental health and substance abuse programs since February.
Glenwood was awarded the largest amount on Thursday.
CEO Ken Oliver said the funds were needed because they have a waitlist of more than 100 children needing their help.
"We've been wanting to do that (hire those therapists) but couldn't figure out how to pay for the startup costs. So, its gonna enable us to add three therapists to our staff here which will enable us to probably serve as many as 150 more people per month at this site with counseling and therapy which are just a wonderful thing and there's a huge need for that in the community" he said.
Oliver believes more parents noticed their child's mental health needs while at home during the pandemic.
Glenwood also provides homes for adults.
"The other part of this grant, it enables us to open two additional homes for adults that we'll be able to open in the next several months and they're three person homes. So, we'll be able to expand our adult services by six people with those two homes and there's a third home that were gonna do some renovations to. So, it will upgrade that home, " said Oliver.
Justin Smith is the assistant to the Jefferson County manager.
He told me they still have around $500,000 in American Rescue funds to allocate for mental health and substance abuse programs.
He said they have seven applications on the table now that could be approved to receive that funding by March.
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Smith said the contracts are for two years.
Below is a list provided by Jefferson County of the organizations awarded funds.
Alethia House$172,500 - Substance Use
Cahaba Medical Care Foundation$250,000 - Substance Use
Changed Lives Christian Center$50,000 - Substance Use
Cooperative Downtown Ministries$278,764 - Substance Use
Jimmie Hale Mission$740,639.80 - Substance Use
UAB TASC/Beacon Recovery$367,213 - Substance Use
The Foundry Ministries, Inc.$140,881 - Substance Use
Cooperative Downtown Ministries$255,300 - Mental Health
Crisis Center, Inc.$258,793.98 - Mental Health
Glenwood, Inc.$420,000 - Mental Health
IMPACT Family Counseling$265,000 - Mental Health
One Place$50,235 - Mental Health
Priority Soldier$214,963.50 - Mental Health
YWCA$105,430 - Mental Health
Total$3,569,720
