Kentucky Invests $17M in Dual Diagnosis Treatment Services

Kentucky is spending nearly $17 million in new federal grants toward dual diagnosis treatment and related behavioral health services. The boost in spending supplements services that Kentucky already offers residents from all backgrounds to improve their mental and behavioral health.

The awards from SAMHSA funds five projects. Several of these match mental health care with addiction treatment at the same time to confront co-occurring conditions.

The Money’s Purpose

The largest share, $7.3m, funds the 988 Crisis Improvement Project. This will improve tech and enhance Kentucky’s response to calls, chats and texts to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. They focus on people at high risk of suicide and overdose. 

A $2.6 million award supports early ID and treatment of youth ages 25 and younger at clinical high risk for psychosis. 

Over $3 million creates and enhances mobile crisis teams serving all ages. They aim to divert crisis response away from law enforcement and into the behavioral health system. 

A $3.2 million grant strengthens integrated addiction and mental health services for pregnant and postpartum women and their families, including access to doulas.

Over $600,000 funds a School Crisis Response Network to help schools prepare for crises and connect students to care after traumatic events.

“Mental health is just as important as physical health,” relayed Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Dr. Steven Stack. 

Mental Health Links to Addiction

Two of the five projects treat mental health and substance use at the same time. The maternal health grant targets pregnant and postpartum women who are at risk of untreated depression and substance use disorders. The 988 project helps folks at risk of suicide and overdose because these dangers frequently overlap.

The state’s framing fits the dual diagnosis model. Co-occurring disorders are common enough that SAMHSA funds them as a standard category. Coordinated care to address multiple conditions together tends to keep people in care longer than those that go one at a time.

Focus on Kentucky

Kentucky credits expanded Medicaid, Narcan distribution and Recovery Ready Communities for four straight years of falling overdose deaths in the state. The 988 line alone has handled 305,000 calls via a network of 14 community mental health centers.

Treatment seekers now have more options that can complement traditional therapy. Mobile crisis teams respond where people are, maternal programs reach women who might never walk into mental health treatment facilities on their own and the school network catches adolescents early.

Care Beyond The Bluegrass State

Anyone who needs dual diagnosis treatment in Kentucky or any of the other 49 states can find help now. Simply browse our online directory for mental health and behavioral treatment centers that treat co-occurring disorders in your area. 

You can also call 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) and speak with an expert for guidance.

Author

Quentin Blount

Content Manager

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Quentin brings nearly a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and digital publisher to his role as Content Manager for Rehab.com. He aims to help people better understand their treatment options by creating engaging and informative content that is user-friendly, factually accurate, and optimized for search engine visibility. In his free time, Quentin enjoys the company of his friends, family, and his dog, Coop.

Editor

Peter Lee, PhD

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Peter W.Y. Lee is a writer and historian of American history during the Cold War. His primary focus is the relationship between youth and popular culture and its impact on U.S. society during the twentieth century. He has published widely on how the public has used popular culture as a mechanism to address political and social shifts throughout time