Grant will fund essential community mental health programs in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties
Sheppard Pratt today announced that it was selected to receive a $5 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support and restore behavioral health services in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties that were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding will support telehealth and in-person services as well as patient and community engagement in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. Specifically, the grant enables Sheppard Pratt to restore its same-day access services, expand telehealth services to include on-site access for video visits using FSI equipment and Zoom for clients to improve virtual engagement, as well as restore case management services. The grant is projected to serve 1,800 individuals in the first year of funding and 2,300 in the second. Funds will also be allocated toward continuing education for staff on trauma-informed care and cultural competence, as well as to provide support services to manage stress related to client care and the pandemic.
“The pandemic presented a number of challenges in delivery of care for our community. This grant provides essential funding to help us restore our same day access services as well as upgrade the technology we use to connect with clients virtually,” says Jeff Richardson, LCSW-C, MBA, vice president and COO of Sheppard Pratt Community Services.
“Sheppard Pratt is pleased to receive this grant so that we can continue to provide essential services to our clients,” says Harsh K. Trivedi, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Sheppard Pratt. “Community-based behavioral health programs are society’s safety net to help individuals with mental illness access the essential care they need.”
About Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.