Porter-Starke Services officials announced last week that the organization is the recipient of a $3 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
The grant will help increase access to high-quality mental health and addiction treatment for the community. It will also include behavioral healthcare with medical care to improve client outcomes.
Programs will assist citizens with serious mental illness, and those with substance use disorders. Children will be able to seek help for serious emotional disturbance issues. Mental health screenings will increase, along with the increase of addiction programming. Program representatives will also work to reduce fatal and non-fatal overdoses. In addition, care coordination between medical and behavioral health facilities will enhance for patients.
Director of Community Support Services at Porter-Starke Services Todd Van Buskirk is expected to establish an advisory work group that includes individuals with these disorders and their families. This will help Porter-Starke Services in ensuring the most effective service design and delivery possible.
Funding will be provided beginning May 1, 2020 and continue through April 30, 2022. Porter-Starke Services expects to serve 1,000 individuals at its service locations in Knox, La Porte, Valparaiso, and Portage in the first year and an additional 1,500 in the second year.
