Strategies for Developing Multisource Funding for Community Mental Health Centers

Federal pressures to phase out categorical assistance for community mental health centers have dramatized the need for developing multiple sources of financial support. for the centers. The author explores the funding potential of third-party payments, social service and rehabilitation programs, and other sources of public and private support. He describes the funding development process used in Kentucky, where all 22 centers are operating in the black, and notes major features that can be adapted by other centers. A keystone of the Kentucky system is its technical assistance service, whose staff maintain close contacts with state agencies and keep informed about federal legislation and regulations. Their knowledge has enabled the state to put together funding packages to support a variety of mental-healthrelated programs.