The Georgia Department of Veterans Service is pleased to announce the selection of two additional grant recipients of the Veterans Mental Health Services Grant (VMHS) for Fiscal Year 2025 – the Center for the Advancement of Military and Emergency Services Research (AMES) at Kennesaw State University and AboutFace-USA.

Dr. Patricia Ross, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, praised the program for its significant impacts on support for Georgia’s military service members, veterans, and their families, caretakers, and survivors.

“Governor Kemp and our legislators continued investment in this program is a testament to the value it brings to supporting mental and behavioral health in Georgia,” said Ross. 

Established in 2023, the VMHS grant program supports mental and behavioral health providers who specialize in services for military service members, veterans, and their families. Following its successful implementation and positive results, the program received additional funds to support Georgia’s growing mental and behavioral health network. 

Kennesaw State University’s AMES Center researches and develops solutions for the complex occupational and behavioral health concerns faced by military and emergency services personnel, veterans, their families, and the communities they live in. Their team includes three licensed behavioral health providers who currently provide services to military-affiliated students, KSU Police Department veterans, and their families seeking care in the Cobb County area. 

The AMES Center will use grant funds to provide behavioral health services to service members, veterans, and their families, including providing multiple sessions each week through their clinical services team and partnerships with the Kennesaw Public Safety Foundation. Funds will also be used to enhance the Center’s telehealth capabilities to provide support to more veterans and families in different areas of the state, in addition to promoting in-person outreach activities to enhance resource availability and support. 

AboutFace-USA, headquartered in Forsyth County, partners with community stakeholders to promote the availability of resources and provides training to manage and improve coping skills, job-skills training, and family relationship-building programs. They also conduct mental health awareness and outreach events to promote community connectivity and meet veterans who need assistance with a variety of social and behavioral health needs. AboutFace-USA provides a whole-health approach and offers physical, mental, and social help services.

AboutFace-USA plans to use Veteran Mental Health Grant funds to extend their current care provision to additional families in need. This includes expanding existing relationships with culturally competent behavioral health providers to reach more communities, as well as implementing additional tele-behavioral health services. Through a combination of clinical care with peer support and community activities, veterans will be able to access additional support services which may be hard to find in their local area. 

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About the Veterans Mental Health Services Grant Program:

The Veterans Mental Health Services Grant program was created through HB 414 and was signed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on April 25, 2023. The grant program aims to improve and expand access to mental health services for military service members, veterans, and their families in the state of Georgia. 

Grant recipients were required to meet certain eligibility criteria. 

To be considered for funding, programs must: 

  • provide behavioral health services; 
  • utilize evidence-based practices;
  • integrate military cultural competency training for staff members;
  • connect clients with appropriate community-based behavioral health services upon discharge in a timely manner. 

Applicants for 2024 and future grant periods were also required to join Unite Georgia as a network partner. Unite Georgia’s software platform allows users who need social needs services to find and connect with local resources and non-profit organizations through a simple referral form.   

Priority status was given to programs with locations within 50 miles of a military base and for applicants seeking grants for operating costs attached to a project for which capital investments have already been made.

The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone in Hinesville was awarded funds during this grant period in an earlier round of applications. 

About GDVS:

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but is an agency of Georgia’s state government created for the purpose of advising, counseling, and assisting Georgia’s veterans and their families in receiving their rightful benefits under the vast and complex framework of veterans’ laws. The GDVS mission, to serve Georgia's veterans and their families in all matters pertaining to veterans benefits, falls into two basic tasks: informing veterans and their families about veterans’ benefits, and directly assisting and advising veterans and their families in securing the federal and state benefits to which they are entitled. 

Veterans or their family members should contact their local field office to schedule an appointment. Locate a veterans service office near you at:  https://veterans.georgia.gov/field-offices.