MARSHFIELD, Wis. – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded Marshfield Clinic a three-year Mental Health Awareness Training Grant, bringing nearly $580,000 in federal funding to support mental health awareness, education, and access across central and northern Wisconsin.
SAMHSA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, leads public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and support to foster recovery while ensuring access and better outcomes.
Marshfield Clinic will strengthen community capacity to recognize mental health concerns, respond to crises, and connect youth and young adults to appropriate services across a 17-county region of northern, central, and western Wisconsin. Through evidence-based training, resource development, community outreach, and mental health navigator support, the project will improve early identification and access to behavioral health, crisis, and recovery services.
“Mental health continues to be a significant need in many of the communities we serve, and this funding helps us build on existing efforts while creating new opportunities for impact,” said Jay Shrader, vice president of Community Impact & Social Accountability. “This grant is a great example of how we’re using external funding to address priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessments and advance our Community Impact Strategy, while at the same time promoting our behavioral health services.”
Special implementation efforts will focus on Barron, Clark, Oneida, Price, Rusk, and Vilas counties where behavioral health workforce shortages, provider scarcity, transportation challenges, fragmented referral systems and limited access to care contribute to elevated rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide risk. The predominantly rural service area includes 14 counties designated as Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, reflecting significant challenges in accessing behavioral health services.
Over the next three years, the grant will support:
- Mental health training for community members and Marshfield Clinic staff to increase awareness, knowledge, and confidence in recognizing and responding to mental health concerns.
- Development of behavioral health referral pathways in partnership with Behavioral Health, helping ensure individuals can more easily connect to the services they need. The grant also supports a behavioral health navigator, strengthening our ability to connect people with appropriate resources and care.
- Community awareness and outreach efforts, including events and education opportunities through our clinics, hospitals and community partners.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the healthcare experience and providing access to world-class healthcare in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 60,000 employees and serves more than 2.5 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 60 hospitals, 315 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,900 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. Nearly 450 residents and fellows are trained each year through over 40 graduate medical education programs, with Sanford Health serving as the primary funding source for 75% of the programs. Sanford Health also includes 92 retail pharmacies, including Sanford and Lewis Drug pharmacies with locations in 6 states, and more than 300 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural healthcare across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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