WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has announced that Kennebec Behavioral Health has been awarded $750,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to bolster and expand its mental health and substance use disorder services. The funding will be used to better tailor treatment for individuals, provide assistance to patients seeking health care referrals and getting covered by MaineCare. Kennebec Behavioral Health serves the community at five clinics in Augusta, Winthrop, Waterville, Farmington and Skowhegan.

The funding is part of the $454 million — for 185 projects — that the entire Maine delegation secured for state projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Package.

“Accessible and reliable care is vital for the health of our communities and this extends to mental health care,” said Senator King. “This funding will ensure Kennebec Behavioral Health can offer enhanced services and provide the best care possible for those who are struggling. An effective and comprehensive care approach coupled with a dedicated support system will assist Maine people with mental health or substance abuse disorders get back on their feet and live a healthy and gratifying life.”

“The resources that we will receive for our Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic from Senator King’s Congressionally Directed Spending allocation will be a game changer for Kennebec Behavioral Health’s provision of mental health and substance use disorder services in central Maine,” said Thomas McAdam, Kennebec Behavioral Health CEO. “Even though there has been a tremendous increase in demand for our services since COVID, KBH will now be able to provide care coordination services to help link Mainers to primary care, specialty care, and housing while they wait for treatment. This will help to stop people falling through the cracks. This is particularly important for rural Mainers, Veterans, and persons that have multiple needs.  We are very grateful for the attention and support that Senator King and his team have provided for Kennebec Behavioral Health and the people of Central Maine.”

Senator King has been a long-time advocate for mental health resources. To increase Medicare’s reimbursement rate for clinical social works and bolster funding for mental health services in tribal communities, Senator King supported the Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2023. Last year, he introduced legislation to increase access to mental health resources for educators and school staff. He also introduced a bipartisan bill to support veterans who received less than an honorable discharge due to behavior tied to service-related mental conditions.

The 185 FY24 Maine investments secured by Senator King can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet HERE and viewed on a map HERE.

CDS funding is included in annual federal appropriations bipartisan legislation and provides a specific amount of discretionary funding to a state, locality, or nonprofit organization for projects with demonstrated civic and community value. Last year, Senator King secured over $250 million in Congressionally-Directed Spending for 140 Maine projects.

Senator King will begin accepting preliminary requests for FY25 Maine-based Congressionally-Directed Spending projects, pending updated FY25 guidance, in the upcoming weeks. Details on the FY25 CDS opportunity will be available on Senator King’s website.

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