Federal grant helps Seven Counties expand mental health care to rural areas of Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky residents will soon have more access to mental health care services.

Louisville-based Seven Counties Services received a $2 million federal grant for each of the next four years to expand services in rural areas. The comprehensive program started in Bullitt County in 2018, but it will now be implemented across Jefferson, Henry, Trimble, Spencer, Shelby and Oldham counties.

Seven Counties works to help people with mental illnesses, children with emotional and behavioral disorders and people with intellectual disabilities.

In a release, the organization said it hopes to reach more of the 43% of Kentucky residents with mental illness with a four-stage approach. The program provides advanced training to its health care professionals, which will help improve care by connecting mental and physical health. It also provides substance use services.

The program also works to make fewer barriers to health care services like financial limitations, a lack of transportation, no insurance coverage, homelessness and long wait lists. It also coordinates with health care providers including the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans.

"This helps us get around folks at an earlier stage in the development of addiction or mental health issues or family issues, and if you are able to provide care for those with no payer source and don't have transportation, you are able to reach a lot more people," said CEO Abby Drane in a video release.

The program is free for people who don't have insurance. For information, go to SevenCounties.org or call 502-589-1100.