The City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department has released its 2013-2014 Mental Health Chemical Dependency Application to support human services projects. Priorities include community based care, programs targeted to help youth, and services to avoid the use of costly interventions for the mentally ill or chemically dependent such as jail, emergency rooms and hospitals. The amount of funding available for projects is estimated to be $1.7 million. Contracts will last 18 months, from July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014.

“When the City Council unanimously supported a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax increase last year to fund mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, they did it because it was an opportunity to address significant needs in our community.” said Assistant City Manager Tansy Hayward, who also oversees the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department. “We’re pleased to now be able to offer human services project assistance in this very important area.”

The City of Tacoma requires that agencies first qualify to apply for funding. If qualified, within two business days, agencies would then have access to the 2013-2014 Mental Health Chemical Dependency Application. Both the qualification form and the 2013-2014 Mental Health Chemical Dependency Application are available through the United Way of Pierce County’s e-C Impact Online System.

Agencies with current accounts through e-C Impact can use their existing user names and passwords to access the system. Agencies without existing accounts will need to create accounts.

In order to be considered for funding, each agency must submit all required documents by 5 p.m. on April 8, 2013. Late submissions will not be considered. Please note that qualification forms submitted after noon on April 4, 2013 are not guaranteed access to the application.

An additional $200,000 in one-time funding is available to specifically help agencies build capacity for increased service levels on new or expanding programs. Information about how to seek those funds will be provided during an application assistance workshop hosted by the City of Tacoma on March 13, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Portland Avenue Community Center, located at 3513 E. Portland Ave., in Tacoma. General application questions or e-C Impact Online System questions can be directed to Kim Dodds at kdodds@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5277 in the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department.