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In September, the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced an effort to expand access to mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for more than 10 million people across the country, by investing $240 million in 400+ community health centers (CHCs).
Community Health Centers (CHCs), also known as Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHCs), were founded during the civil rights movement to provide health care to Black and low-income communities. However, anyone can receive care at a CHC, regardless of insurance status. Public or non-profit health centers can apply to receive federal HRSA funding and be designated as CHCs/FQHCs.
Today, millions of people, especially low-income and Black Americans, rely on community health centers (CHC) for support. According to HRSA, more than 31 million people relied on HRSA-funded health centers for care in 2023 alone, including: 1 in 8 children and 24.7 million uninsured, Medicaid, and Medicare patients and more than 9.7 million rural residents.
Community Health Centers provide support for mental health and substance use treatment however, CHCs are only able to meet about 27% of mental health service related demands and 6% of substance use disorder treatment needs.
HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson made the announcement about HRSA’s investments at the Mental Health America Conference on September 19th. “Mental health and substance use disorder treatment are essential elements of primary care, and there should be no wrong door for families to get the behavioral health care they need.”
This follows alongside numerous other investments HRSA has made to expand access to critical treatment for mental health and substance use.
