Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will receive two grants totaling $11,239,664 through the American Rescue Plan. The $5,599,279 Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) and $5,640,385 Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) will fund mental health and substance use programs.

“The pandemic has taken a significant toll on Mainers who live with substance use disorders or need mental health care. Behavioral health care providers have made it clear that they need more resources, and that’s why I advocated for the inclusion of this critical funding in the American Rescue Plan,” said Pingree. “I was proud to cast my vote in favor of the American Rescue Plan which will dedicate the largest aggregate funding ever toward mental health and substance use treatment programs.”

The MHBG program enables states and territories to provide comprehensive community mental health services and to address needs and gaps in existing treatment services for those with serious mental illness.

The SABG program allows states and territories to plan, implement and evaluate activities to prevent, treat and help more people recover from substance use disorder. This funding will also allow recipients to make investments in existing prevention, treatment and recovery infrastructure, promote support for providers and address unique local needs to deliver substance use disorder services.

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