SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Liberty Resources Inc. will use a federal grant of $5 million to strengthen its school-based mental-health program. Liberty Resources is a provider of addiction treatment, behavioral health, and suicide-prevention services that is headquartered at 1045 James St. in Syracuse. The funding for Liberty Resources is from the Rockville, Maryland–based Substance Abuse and […]
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Liberty Resources Inc. will use a federal grant of $5 million to strengthen its school-based mental-health program.
Liberty Resources is a provider of addiction treatment, behavioral health, and suicide-prevention services that is headquartered at 1045 James St. in Syracuse.
The funding for Liberty Resources is from the Rockville, Maryland–based Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the office of U.S. Representative John Katko (R–Camillus) announced on Sept. 28. SAMHSA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
That funding is part of $36 million in mental-health grants awarded to organizations across New York state, the office of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) said in a Sept. 27 news release.
Besides Liberty Resources, SAMHSA awarded Upstate Cerebral Palsy Inc. in Utica more than $3.7 million and Cornell University nearly $400,000 in separate grants, per Schumer’s office.
The funding comes from the Community Mental Health Block Grant and will help provide mental-health resources for communities by supporting mental-health research and fortifying mental health and substance-abuse treatment services, Schumer’s office said.
Through its program, Liberty Resources partners with nearly 50 Central New York schools to provide students with therapy, family counseling, and crisis-intervention services, Schumer’s office said.
As a large provider of mental health and substance-use treatment services in Central New York and Rochester, the award of the federal CMHC Grant “is critical to supporting Liberty Resources in meeting the increased needs in communities we serve,” Carl Coyle, CEO of Liberty Resources, said in a release. “Throughout Central New York we have seen suicide and overdoes rates increase to significant and alarming levels during the COVID pandemic. This grant will particularly strengthen our school-based programs within the 48 plus CNY schools we support, where so many children and youth have been severely impacted by the pandemic. This funding could only have happened with the support of committed bi-partisan Congressional members such as Congressman Katko, who has long been a champion of providing Federal support for these critically needed services.”
“I am glad to announce that $5 million in federal funding will be delivered to Liberty Resources Inc,” Katko said. “For Central New York students, the pandemic has taken a significant toll and as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, I’m working to ensure local students have the support services they need. This funding will allow Liberty Resources to strengthen its school-based mental health programming as students readjust to in-person classes and other pandemic-related challenges.”
Schumer’s office shared his letter of support for Liberty Resources’ (LRI) grant funding to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, which included the following quote.
“With funding, Liberty Resources plans to restore the delivery of clinical services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and address the needs of those with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) through its existing mental health and substance use disorder programs. LRI is ready to expand services in Onondaga, Monroe, Oswego and Madison counties with existing physical sites and a strong base of services. LRI will provide services to 500 unduplicated individuals annually, raising their total to 1,000 individuals.”