County Department of Behavioral Wellness Awarded $500K

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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness is proud to announce the receipt of grant funding in the amount of $500,000 per year from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), awarded for the next four years. These funds will support additional staffing for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) services, improving care for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI).

The SAMHSA grant aims to expand the AOT program, which helps individuals with SMI through community-based treatment in collaboration with courts, community partners, and other agencies. This multi-disciplinary approach ensures critical support for individuals meeting state-specific AOT criteria, fostering recovery and stability in the community.

For more information on the AOT program, visit the Behavioral Wellness website here.

For more information about the County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness, visit  https://www.countyofsb.org/274/Behavioral-Wellness. For assistance accessing Behavioral Wellness services, call the 24/7 Crisis Response and Services Access Line at (888) 868-1649.