Communities across the commonwealth have received a total of $4.7 million in grant funding through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The awards are divided between seven municipalities, including several in eastern Kentucky. Officials said these funds will help build community crisis co-response programs to address mental health emergencies.
Michael Palmer is the Maysville Police Chief. He said through the grant received by the Maysville Police Department, they will implement mental health services to decrease incarcerations and repeat encounters.
“Following COVID, our community, like many across the commonwealth, has experienced an increase in behavioral health crisis calls for service,” said Palmer. “We look forward to better addressing the needs of those individuals and forming a team of qualified professionals to respond and help those individuals with their needs.”
The Boyle County Fiscal Court received $850,000 to build a community crisis co-response program. Trille Bottom, Boyle County Judge Executive, said the funds will enable the community to effectively serve those in need.
“Right now, our Boyle County citizens who are experiencing a mental health crisis only have two choices: jail or the emergency room. Which are only capable of providing a short-term solution, which is not always the appropriate setting,” said Bottom.
The Perry County Ambulance Authority also received grant funding, which officials said will go toward hiring a full-time case manager and community paramedic.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, forty percent of adults in jail or prison, as well as 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system, have a history of mental health conditions. More information on how communities can apply for next year’s Mobile Crisis Response Grants will be available on the Office of Administrative Services’ Grants Opportunities website, chfs.ky.gov/.