Napa, California – Last week Governor Newsom announced an unprecedented $480.5 million in infrastructure grants to support Youth Mental Health initiatives across the state. Mentis, the Napa-based mental health services agency that serves residents of every age and income level, is honored to be among the 54 entities in California receiving such a grant. Of the 54 grantees, only 4 were Bay Area-based: County of Santa Clara, Mentis – Napa County, Safe Passages – Alameda County and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
“We are thrilled to have received this funding, which is a testament to the good work we’ve been doing at Mentis for over 75 years. We look forward to realizing our vision of how-to best support Napa County’s youth, which will strengthen our future workforce and immediately transform our community” said Rob Weiss, Executive Director, Mentis.
The awards are delivered through the Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 4: Children and Youth grants and will increase care for Californians ages 25 and younger, especially in the least restrictive, community-based settings including community wellness/youth prevention centers and outpatient community mental health clinics1.
The State’s historic investment is the fourth of six rounds of the $2.2 billion BHCIP funding provided by the Legislature and the Governor, which was authorized in the fiscal year 2021-22 budget to construct, acquire, and expand behavioral health facilities and community-based care options as well as invest in mobile crisis infrastructure. Funds can only be used for facility capacity expansion. BHCIP is part of a broader commitment by the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) to improve the state’s behavioral health and long-term care continuum infrastructure.
Recipients of BHCIP Round 4: Children and Youth grants include cities, counties, Tribal entities, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations statewide that serve target populations. Additional information on BHCIP Round 4: Children and Youth awardees is available at https://dashboard.buildingcalhhs.com.
Mentis, one of Napa’s oldest nonprofits, believes that each of us has the capacity to improve our mental health, but not all of us have the tools to do so. The agency’s staff and clinicians educate, support and inspire people to take charge of their mental well-being. With programs ranging from prevention to treatment, their work ensures our community’s mental wellness flourishes.
Contact: Liz Marks, Development Director, lmarks@mentisnapa.org, 707-255-0966 X 153