Funding for Mental Health Projects

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 13.4 percent of adults in the United States received some form of service, treatment or prescription for mental health in 2008. Youth in the United States also contribute to mental health statistics. As such, funding for mental health projects is crucial for giving those who battle serious mental illness, depression and other ailments the chance to receive the help and support they need in order to maintain stability.

Grant Programs

• Funding for mental health projects is not easy to come by. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an organization that lobbies for mental health grants that can be used for sponsoring and developing mental health projects for families and individuals. Under the grants that SAMHSA secures, each program has strict eligibility requirements with a particular amount of money designated for each project. For example, the Jail Diversion project grant was allocated $841,000 in 2007. The Adolescents at Risk project received a $1.86 million grant for school-based programs to help troubled teens. SAMHSA continues to work to raise mental health awareness and allocate funding where it is needed.

Federal Funding

• The contribution of federal dollars for mental health projects in the United States increased in 2010, with the federal budget allowing for more allocation of funding to public and nonprofit mental health agencies and organizations. The federal appropriations went to sponsoring Children's Mental Health Services, the Center for Mental Health Services and Projects for Assistance in Transition From Homelessness (PATH). Community-based projects are created utilizing the funds to support members of the community who need peer support, life skills training, mental health education, case management and vocational training.

State Funding

• Many states offer funding for mental health projects. However, due to budget deficits various states are forced to cut back on mental health funding, which impacts the availability of services that mental health consumers can receive. State-run community programs, inpatient hospital beds, pharmaceuticals and other forms of mental health services have declined or been cut from the budget altogether in states such as Arizona and Illinois. Some services still exist and can be accessed through special eligibility criteria. For instance, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) serves as Arizona's Medicaid agency and contributes funding through reimbursement for mental health services rendered.

Charities

• Some people or faith-based organizations take it upon themselves to raise money to institute mental health projects in the community, such as setting up a halfway house for those in transition or starting groups to educate youth with serious emotional disturbances. When communities pool resources together, they can create temporary or long-term projects dedicated to helping those with mental health needs.