Damien Center Receives $2.5 Million Grant from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Damien Center has received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The administration is awarding nearly $35 million in grant funding this month to bring essential behavioral health services and HIV prevention and care to historically underserved populations.

Damien Center will use the grant to create the CARE program, an intensive outpatient program (IOP) designed to provide treatment for substance use disorders and any co-occurring mental health disorders. The nonprofit will hire two additional therapists and two peer recovery specialists who will work specifically with those participating in the IOP. The new program will also expand access to medication-assisted treatment, increase testing for HIV and hepatitis, and provide funding for harm reduction kits.

“This funding will allow Damien Center to expand our treatment of substance use disorders by removing barriers to accessing treatment and meeting people where they are along their recovery journey,” said Alan Witchey, president and CEO at Damien Center. “Through the CARE program, we will open another level of substance use disorder treatment that brings special emphasis to minority populations and the LGBTQ+ community. These individuals have historically not had equitable access to behavioral health care and infectious disease services and experience disproportionately high rates of prevalence for HIV. By offering culturally competent treatment and support to these individuals who have historically had the least access and may have been afraid to seek care due to stigma, mistrust, and traumatization, we will improve the overall health and wellness of individuals in our community.”

Currently, Damien Center provides traditional outpatient therapy once per week for clients with substance use disorders. Individuals who are in-need of a higher level of care are referred to other service providers for more intensive care and treatment. Current gaps in the referral process cause delays to care and the longer an individual continues to use substances without treatment, the greater the potential harm to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The CARE program will provide quick access to treatment and help mitigate these harms.

Damien Center is one of more than 80 organizations that SAMHSA has made grants to through its latest round of funding to help organizations offer comprehensive behavioral health care and HIV prevention and care for historically underserved populations. Damien Center anticipates program enrollment to begin in January 2024.

For more information on the Care Program at Damien Center, including hours and location, please visit www.damien.org or call 317.632.0123.

Damien Center is Indiana’s oldest and largest AIDS service organization and leads the effort to prevent the spread of HIV. The Center opened in 1987 and offers a one-stop-shop model of care that includes preventive, supportive, and medical services that empowers people in Central Indiana affected by HIV/AIDS to move forward each day with dignity so they may live abundant and productive lives. Damien Center believes passionately in the dignity and worth of every person who seeks their services and strives to be a safe and welcoming place so that no barriers separate people from the services they need to prolong and enhance their lives. For more information visit: http://www.damien.org or follow them on Twitter at @DamienCenter or like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theda....

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.