An Alexandria charity has been awarded $1.9 million in federal funds to train behavioral health professionals to work with people suffering from racial disparities, drug addicts, and students with mental health disorders.
The funding was announced today in a joint statement by Virginia’s U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. It’s part of a $2.2 million package to fund education programs in Alexandria, Richmond and Harrisonburg.
The funding will come from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to the statement.
“Helping those who struggle with behavioral health needs starts with adequately funding programs to recruit, educate, and train the first responders and behavioral health professionals who will be on the front lines,” the senators said in the joint statement. “This over-$2.2 million in grant funding will help us do that, and we will continue to do all that we can to bring resources to Virginia to support the mental health of our communities.”