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Area providers eagerly anticipating mental health funding boost

Free Press - 6/12/2022

Jun. 12—MANKATO — Minnesota's recently approved $93 million mental health funding package has providers and advocates eager for additional funding to boost services.

After making its way through the Minnesota House and Senate during the legislative session in May, Gov. Tim Walz celebrated the funding package during a ceremonial bill signing last week. The $93 million investment includes a wide range of funding for more mental health beds at hospitals, support for children and youth, mobile crisis services, and loan forgiveness for aspiring providers.

Providers in south-central Minnesota welcomed the funding package but are awaiting details on what funding they'll be in line for and when it'll come available.

Although it doesn't address all the state's mental health needs, it's a start, said Sue Abderholden, executive director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness' Minnesota chapter.

"We keep telling people this is a good step, but it's not the last step," she said.

Compared to previous investments in mental health, she described this as a "very good one."

Portions of it are aimed at expanding access while also removing barriers keeping more professionals from entering the field. Specifically, Abderholden said $4.1 million in funding to cover supervision costs and student loan forgiveness for interns and trainees will prove helpful.

"This will create a grant program that providers can apply for so they can provide that supervision for free," she said.

Mental health fields have been in great need of more providers, especially in rural Minnesota. Already an issue before COVID-19, workforce shortages only got worse during the pandemic.

Sen. Rich Draheim, R-Madison Lake, who sponsored the Senate bill, highlighted the supervision grant program as well as loan forgiveness funding for mental health professionals in a May column detailing the mental health package.

He wrote about how the pandemic's negative effect on mental health made the issue a high priority during the session.

"In January 2021, 41% of adults reported symptoms of mental health concerns," he stated. "Seeing these impacts on our communities, my colleagues and I have made it a priority to make strategic investments in expanding mental health care access for Minnesotans of all ages."

Mobile mental health crisis services across the state, including Horizon Homes' South Central Crisis Center in Mankato, stand to receive $9.6 million of the funding.

How much the Mankato-based crisis center could receive remains unknown, said Horizon Homes Clinical Director Ricki Pribyl. The organization came up with a plan on how to use funding, though, in anticipation of the package going through.

The investments would help add staff and expand outreach and education to underserved communities, Pribyl said. She was relieved to see mobile crisis services received designated funds.

"This way we can come to you and you can access resources," she said of the value of mobile services. "It is always a relief when they can focus on putting funding toward community-based services."

Like other mental health care service providers, Horizon Homes faces challenges finding staff to meet the growing demand for services. Thankfully, Pribyl said, no program cuts have been needed.

School-linked mental health grants made it into the mental health package as well. About $13 million was designated for support services, grant programs and crisis stabilization programs for children and youth.

The funding could benefit Counseling Services of Southern Minnesota and other school-linked mental health providers. These organizations bring therapists into schools to better identify mental health issues and improve access to care.

Yet although there will be funding available to bolster services, the workforce shortage stands as a major question mark potentially keeping organizations from maximizing it. It'll take time for the workforce-targeted funding to lower the barrier to entry into the field.

"The funding piece is helpful, but the provider shortage is the biggest hurdle," said Tom McNeely, executive director at Counseling Services of Southern Minnesota.

Follow Brian Arola @BrianArola

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