A state grant totaling nearly $400,000 was awarded to Riverside County to bolster mental health services, it was announced Friday.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority Board selected the Riverside University Health System to receive $394,807, designated specifically for its mobile crisis support unit.
The grant was part of a $15.7 million disbursal to a total of nine counties statewide, allocated under the Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013, which calls for annual appropriations to maintain or expand behavioral health services, particularly among those who are 21 and younger.
“There has been a great need for mental health crisis services for children and youth throughout the state of California,” state Treasurer Fiona Ma said.
Ma, who sits on the CHFFA Board, said additional funding is in the pipeline for this year.
“I look forward to even more awards in the near future, with another $22 million available to be awarded in a third funding round to ensure that more children and youth receive much needed mental health crisis services,” she said.
The next round of disbursals is expected before the end of October.
The largest sum awarded to a single county in the current grant period was just over $5 million, all of which went to Humboldt County.