2 Bloomington organizations receive federal substance use and mental health grants

Chestnut Health Systems and Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) in Bloomington are receiving federal funding to improve mental health and substance use disorder programs, according to a statement from Democratic US Representative Eric Sorensen. Combined, the entities will receive just over $860,000 for research and training initiatives, with Chestnut receiving the bulk of the funding.

Chestnut’s plans

Chestnutbased in Bloomington, is receiving $759,758 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to pilot an online Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) training program. They are specialists who use their lived experience with substance use disorder to help others.

The virtual program is called PATH, which stands for Peer Advanced Training in Harm Reduction, and was designed for PRSS education.

Over the next six years, Chestnut’s Lighthouse Institute—the research arm of the group—will seek to “improve care, reduce burnout, and ultimately improve outcomes for both PRSS workers and the clients they serve.” using PATH, according to the release.

“We are excited to further research peer-to-peer recovery support,” Lighthouse director Michael Dennis said in the release. “This grant allows us to contribute significant knowledge to recovery efforts worldwide.”

In Bloomington-Normal, support specialists are used in a variety of settings including McLean County Center for Human Servicespeer-to-peer support community recovery centerA new horizon. Also McLean County Courts plans to get a specialist for it’s new Family treatment court.

Heartland Also, Community College offers a PRSS certification program, from which many of the specialists in the area are graduates.

IWU plans

IWU is receiving $100,876 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop mental health tools and suicide prevention strategies for students.

“This … grant allows us to support student success by expanding direct services, training faculty and staff, and educating students about mental health and suicide prevention strategies, particularly for our most at-risk populations,” said Vice President of Business Students and the dean of IWU. Karla Carney-Hall students on release.