(Inside Indiana Business): Warsaw-based Bowen Center is one of hundreds of mental health centers in the country to receive grant funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The center has been awarded nearly $4 million to help augment telehealth capabilities, recruit mental healthcare professionals and to provide training and support for staff.

SAMHSA is investing $825 million in 231 community mental health centers in the U.S.

Bowen Center Vice President Shannon Hannon says the grant will also help with expanding health care service outreach, including a possible mobile clinic initiative for rural groups including Amish, Burmese and elderly residents living in economically disadvantaged communities.

“We were thrilled when we got word of the award which will allow us to more thoroughly reach underserved populations in our communities. There is an urgent need now more than any other time to ensure emotional healthcare is accessible to all and this grant will allow us to focus on some of the most vulnerable among us,” said Shannon Hannon, Bowen Center vice president.

Hannon says the funding will also expand resources to address mental health needs of Bowen Center staff as a result of the pandemic.

“We know vulnerable populations and minorities are overrepresented in the statistics looking at mental illness. Research suggests this is due to poverty, lack of resources, and mistrust of institutions,” said Senior Vice President Dr. Robert Ryan. “We wanted to find dollars that allowed us to address these disparities with dignity. Bowen Center’s position has been to connect with these communities and share our resources and knowledge to help communities solve their own problems.”