AUGUSTA/WATERVILLE/SKOWHEGAN: The Pull Up Fund has awarded Kennebec Behavioral Health over $600,000 to support its Telehealth Coordinator Pilot for schools in Maine. Aside from federal and state grants, this is the organizations’ largest foundation grant in its 60+ years.
With this new funding, KBH will pilot a project to hire a Telehealth Coordinator to represent KBH’s School Based Program while a Clinician works remotely to offer counseling to students. KBH currently provides School-Based Services in 25 schools across Maine. Traditionally, the program allows for credentialed counselors to work with students in their schools to reduce barriers to mental health care. However, a common challenge to providing services in rural schools is hiring clinicians within a reasonable distance.
According to KBH’s Chief Executive Officer, Tom McAdam, “funding provided through Pull Up Fund is a three-way winner for the delivery of care in a school setting. The grant materially enhances the services for students by providing Ed Tech supports to organize and follow up appointments. For the participating school, the model ensures that students will get to their appointments and receive services. Lastly, for the clinician, it creates consistency of treatment with the goal of improved outcomes. This is a game changer and improvement for school based mental health care.”
Kennebec Behavioral Health was founded in 1960 and operates clinics in Waterville, Skowhegan, Winthrop, Augusta and Farmington. For more information, or to schedule an appointment for any KBH service, call 1-888-322-2136.
