Congresswoman Matsui Announces Federal Grant Funding for Sacramento County's ROOM for Dads Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 10, 2015

CONTACT:
Julie Eddy: (202) 225-7163

Congresswoman Matsui announces Federal Grant Funding for Sacramento County's ROOM for Dads Program

Congresswoman Matsui announces that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded Sacramento County $325,000 in new federal grant funding to host an afterhours outpatient alcohol and drug treatment program for fathers going through family drug court. This program allows fathers involved in the family drug court program to continue their education or work normal hours while receiving treatment. By allowing treatment to occur afterhours, barriers to future success are removed for fathers in this program.

"I am pleased to see Sacramento County acting as a leader in creating sensible options for fathers in need of alcohol and drug treatment programs," said Congresswoman Matsui. "This funding will allow Sacramento County to provide more fathers with the option of afterhours treatment, setting them up for success in their recovery, getting a job, and their ability to role model healthy behaviors for their children."

"This innovative treatment program is designed to promote responsibility, accountability and help guide men who want to become better fathers into a healthy and balanced lifestyle," said Phil Serna, Chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

"We see this program as offering opportunity to many men who otherwise would not have gotten it," said Sharon Di Pirro-Beard, the mental health program coordinator for Sacramento County's Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Behavior Health - Alcohol and Drug Services. "We regularly hear men in family drug court saying andlsquo;I work' or andlsquo;I'm trying to enroll in classes' and won't be able to participate in the recovery program. We want them to be productive citizens and good fathers. We see this program as taking down one more barrier to their ability to achieve those goals and we're very excited to see how many men the program can reach."

Congresswoman Matsui has a history of substantial bipartisan action on mental health and is a champion for programs that provide funding to local communities for mental health services. She works to bolster the full spectrum of behavioral health care - from prevention to crisis management. She is currently working with SAMHSA to implement a demonstration project based on her Excellence in Mental Health Act that was signed into law and will provide an unprecedented $1 billion in new funds for community behavioral health clinics.

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