Arizona Puts Funds Towards Supporting Mental Health Organizations
I want to start off by saying that people all over the country are struggling with mental health issues. Whether it’s issues stemming from the pandemic, or something else. And it’s important to recognize that. The stigma that surrounds discussing mental health issues still exists, and we should all work on ensuring people can discuss it and gain access to proper care. Public health is important and should be a focus, but sometimes we don’t talk about the mental health part of the equation and we should. It’s important that there’s funding that goes towards supporting mental health organizations that do critical work.
State funding for mental health initiatives and organizations that help people struggling are important. While mental health and struggles surrounding it are always difficult, the pandemic has certainly made things worse. The numbers point to this. This is why it’s so refreshing to hear that Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has awarded $550,000 to go towards supporting mental health organizations. And GrantWatch has these grants for USA nonprofits to focus on improving mental health.
Supporting Mental Health Organizations Is Meaningful: Especially during the Pandemic
This funding is being awarded to organizations that provide mental health services. This funding will come from COVID-19 funds that were allocated to the states by congress.
Studies have shown that the COVID-19 has had an impact on our well–being. Previous to the outbreak of the pandemic, 1/10 Americans had reported struggling with symptoms related to anxiety or depression. That number has unfortunately spiked, and now 4/10 Americans report those same symptoms or worse. That’s absolutely startling and needs to be a focus for the health of our country. And actually, the reality might be even worse. Even as we begin to return to normal as vaccinations increase, and numbers go down. The National Alliance on Mental Illness says that over half of Americans are reporting that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health.
“Even before the pandemic, we have been working diligently to address issues such as isolation and disconnection, especially among our young people,” said Governor Ducey. “COVID-19 has made that effort more urgent. These dollars will bolster the efforts of more than a dozen organizations around the state working to provide mental health support to those in need. As we move forward, we must make sure we are supporting the whole health of our state’s citizens.”
Doug Ducey, Arizona Governor
So who will get this funding?
The list of organizations that will receive this funding from the state include:
- West Yavapai Guidance Clinic
- Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT)
- Teen Lifeline
- Reigning Grace
- Mentally Ill Kids in Distress
- National Alliance on Mental Health Arizona
- Native Americans For Community Action
- Our Place Clubhouse
- ICAN
- Hunkapi
- Horses Help
- Black Family & Children’s Services
- Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation
The funding for this comes from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund. The fund was established by the Governor as part of the Arizona Together Initiative. This initiative was founded to provided support to nonprofit organizations in Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund has distributed over 9.3 million to date.
GrantWatch Is Happy to See Funds Going to Support Those Who are Suffering
This kind of funding is so important, especially right now. As we start to come out of this pandemic, we need to recognize the damage it has caused. Many people will need the kinds of services that these organizations provide, and funds will be needed to support that. Hopefully more people who need this kind of help will be able to receive it. That’s why it’s important to note that these grant funds will go towards helping people struggling in Arizona.
Discover grants for mental health on grant listing databases such as GrantWatch.com For more information, you can also visit the GrantWatch FAQ page. We wish you the best of luck with your grant-seeking!