A new funding opportunity is available from the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) to provide mental health services to veterans, military servicemembers, and their respective family members, and/or seniors and their caregivers, in order to increase access to mental health care and reduce potential wait times.
Military service can cause or exacerbate behavioral health and wellness concerns among servicemembers and their families. The intense experiences specific to military service and prolonged exposure to real or perceived physical and psychological danger along with the unique military culture of “stay strong” can take a toll on an individual’s well-being. Mental health outcomes are also disproportionately distributed, with Black and Hispanic veterans more likely to screen positive for conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Substance Use Disorder. While the federal Veterans Administration (VA) provides an important primary source for veterans’ mental health care, some veterans may be ineligible for VA care while others may find that seeking services at the VA is a cause of trauma or concern unto itself.
This investment also recognizes the critical role of family members in mental health supports for veterans. Military or veteran spouses as well as family members acting as caregivers for veterans with disabilities may all experience military service-related stress or trauma but may be ineligible for services through traditional veteran supports. Family members’ health and resiliency is critical to military and family readiness, and providers who understand the unique circumstances experienced by military families may contribute greatly to the mental health of both individuals and families. Family counseling that takes into account the particular stressors of military service and acknowledges the critical role of family members is an important component of the VSHSL.
The Mental Health Counseling funding opportunity also focuses on addressing the challenges experienced by older adults in accessing mental health care. As many as one out of four older adults struggle with their mental health while experiencing barriers to care. Barriers include challenging systems, cost, and lack of providers. Older adults are also significantly impacted by technological barriers, which limit access to telehealth and digital services. Additionally, nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, which significantly increases risk factors for mental health. This investment adds senior funding to address service gaps or delays in service access for mental health care for older adults.
Funding overview
Funded programs will provide individuals with complementary resources from which to seek mental health care, in order to increase access and reduce potential wait times. These programs may provide different modalities of therapy or treatments depending on the needs of the participants.
Funded programs will:
- Oversee the provision of mental health services to veterans, military servicemembers, and their respective family members; and/or to seniors and their caregivers
- Increase community access to mental health services in order to address gaps or delays in service access for the focus populations
- Provide information and services that are linguistically and culturally appropriate and low-barrier, including free-of-charge services
Application details
Available funding: Up to $3,064,933 in Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy funds
Investment period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027 (subject to change)
Questions: Contact Katie Mahoney at kmahoney@kingcounty.gov
Applications due: November 6, 2024 by 2:00pm Pacific Time
Join the information session to learn more about the funding opportunity
A virtual information session to discuss questions related to this RFP will be held on October 9, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30am.
Join by Zoom :
Meeting URL: https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/8760119729
The information session will be recorded and posted here. This will be a remote session with speech to text captioning provided. For accommodations to participate, please contact Katie Mahoney by October 4, 2024.
About the VSHSL
The Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL), administered by the King County Department of Community and Human Services Adult Services Division, promotes healthy living, financial stability, social engagement, housing stability and service system access for veterans, seniors, and resilient communities.