Cheshire County accepts $4 million SAMHSA award to expand children—s mental‑health services

Cheshire County commissioners voted Sept. 18 to accept a $4 million award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand services for children and youth in need of enhanced care coordination.

Suzanne Bensley, grants manager, and Dennis Kelpka outlined the SAMHSA grant structure: four annual awards of $1 million each over four years, with a required $2 million match that will be met through an existing care management entity state contract. The program will expand Connected Families— brief enhanced care coordination and in‑home supports and requires a short launch period; staff said they must obligate initial program elements within the first four months after acceptance.

Dennis described the program as a tested evolution of prior grants and emphasized data collection and evaluation practices that contributed to a high application score. The grant narrative proposes serving 328 unduplicated children over four years (about 82 per year), and officials said the initiative would hire or reassign care coordinators to avoid duplication with billable services.

Commissioners voted to accept the award and authorized necessary signatures so the county can finalize contracts and begin hiring and program start‑up activities. Staff warned of operational challenges: if current coordinators are moved to grant roles, backfilling will be necessary so regular billable services continue.

Officials said the county will work with state partners to speed referral processing and minimize delays that have previously slowed families— starts in services. The grant acceptance moves the program into the implementation phase, with further operational details to be brought back to commissioners as hiring and contracting advance.