$10 million in grants for Sacramento mental health programs serving diverse populations
Sacramento County will distribute nearly $10 million in grant funding to programs and organizations that provide mental health services, with a focus on under-served communities being affected disproportionately by the coronavirus pandemic.
The grants are a partnership between the county’s behavioral health division and the California Mental Health Services Authority, and will award a total of $9.69 million to 35 local organizations, Sacramento County announced Thursday in a news release.
Among recipients are the California Black Women’s Health Project, the Muslim American Society’s Social Services Foundation, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Nor-Cal Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, the Trans and Queer Youth Collective and WEAVE, Inc.
“Programs will use a range of intervention strategies impacting important needs, such as maternal mental health, mental health and wellness, suicide prevention, outreach and education,” the county’s news release said.
In California, COVID-19 outbreaks are being observed at higher rates among Latinos, who work disproportionately in jobs that cannot be performed remotely. Health experts across California and the U.S. have also pointed to higher death rates among Black and Latino populations from the virus as being attributed to existing disparities in health care.
As The Sacramento Bee reported last week, state data and a citywide survey in Sacramento showed that Latinos reported greater concern about anxiety, social isolation, unemployment and other financial and emotional issues, more likely to rate these as extremely or very serious problems than other population groups amid the pandemic.
The county says the COVID pandemic is not only directly impacting mental health, but the related economic downturn has decreased a significant amount of sales and income tax revenue that would normally go toward behavior health services.
“Our vision is that residents of our culturally and ethnically diverse communities have the opportunity to learn about mental health and available services and resources; experience optimum health and wellness; and access mental health care through this grant program,” Dr. Ryan Quist, the county’s behavioral health director, said in a prepared statement.
The county also says it will take applications for a second round of awards later in 2020, with more details on the timeline for that coming soon.
Here is the full list of local organizations receiving grants in the first round, courtesy of Sacramento County:
- Agile Group
- CA Black Women’s Health Project
- Cal Voices
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of California
- East Bay Asian Youth Center
- Friends for Survival
- Health Education Council
- Her Health First
- Hmong Youth & Parents United
- Improve Your Tomorrow
- International Rescue Committee, Inc.
- Justice Team Network
- La Familia Counseling Center, Inc.
- Lao Family Community Development
- Lari “Rain” McNeill
- Mallory Ewing & Gale Anderson - Youth Mental Health
- Mental Health California
- Muslim American Society - Social Services Foundation
- NAMI, Sacramento
- Native Dads Network
- Neighborhood Wellness Foundation
- Nor-Cal Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- ONTRACK Program Resources
- Opening Doors, Inc.
- Public Health Advocates
- SAC Connect Therapeutic and Wellness Services
- Sacramento Covered
- Sacramento LGBT Community Center
- Safe Black Space
- Tarbiya Institute
- Teah M. Hairston
- Trans & Queer Youth Collective
- University Enterprises – California State University, Sacramento
- Vietnam Veterans of California, Inc. dba Veterans Resource Centers of America
- WEAVE, Inc.
