SAMHSA Awards RCPA Member Merakey $2M for Pilot Program to Expand Certified Community BH Clinic Services

Statement from SAMHSA: Released September 25, 2025

Excerpt below:

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Today, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $2 million in supplemental funding to Merakey Philadelphia to launch a pilot program expanding Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic services to the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. This targeted investment will provide vital resources to assist homeless individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders. The initiative is designed to expand treatment and recovery supports, so that individuals can transition off the streets and into care that addresses their behavioral health needs.

In June, I had the opportunity to visit Merakey and witness firsthand the dedicated work they are undertaking. We also visited Kensington, where, on a random weekday afternoon, we saw a man nearly lose his life to an overdose on the sidewalk. That experience was a stark reminder of the devastating realities this community faces each day and reinforced the urgent need for expanded services and resources. As a clinician, I have treated a number of people who had spent time in Kensington in active addiction and know it has been a place where people with the illness of addiction get sicker.