Record $4 Million Federal Grant Will Improve Access to Treatment & Fight Opioid Epidemic
ENFIELD, Conn. – U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) will join officials from CHR, the state’s most comprehensive, non-profit behavioral healthcare agency on Monday, December 3rd, to mark the launch of CT First, a far reaching initiative to enhance and expand behavioral healthcare services for children, families and adults, including vitally needed treatment for opioid addictions.
The event will take place:
- When: Monday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m.
- Where: CHR’s Enfield office, 153 Hazard Avenue
- Contact: Maureen McGuire, 860-985-8312
CT First is made possible by a $4 million federal grant to CHR from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). CHR participated in a national competition for the funding; it is the largest grant received in CHR’s 52 year history. The funding will:
- Enable CHR to become a “Certified Community Behavioral Healthcare Clinic” by the end of January 2019.
- Expand 24/7 access to mobile crisis programs for children and adults by hiring overnight staff and continuing to work closely with local police departments. Of note, CHR was also recently successful in securing a SAMHSA grant in collaboration with the Town of Suffield Police Department to enhance direct services and training so people are directed to treatment, rather than the criminal justice system, if the police are called to situations of emotional distress. The two grants complement each other very well.
- Introduce primary care screenings for clients in CHR’s Enfield office and maintaining wellness programming in Manchester and Bloomfield, all with a goal of providing truly integrated care and measuring success with the help of new clinical staff and IT infrastructure updates.
- Implement smoking cessation programming for clients.
- Expand open-access services for people with substance use disorders/opioid use disorders so they can access treatment services sooner.
- Increase the use of recovery coaches/peers to help facilitate rapid implementation of treatment.
- Launch a more formal agreement and liaison with the Veterans Administration and veteran groups in our region.
About CHR: CHR is Connecticut’s most comprehensive, non-profit behavioral healthcare agency, offering a broad array of services for adults, children and families whose lives have been touched by mental illness, substance use, trauma and more. Founded in 1966, CHR has a vibrant outpatient network of services as well as intensive and specialized services to address complicated needs, including residential and community-based programs. Learn more at www.chrhealth.org.