Allied Behavioral Health Solutions receives state-awarded Families First Community Grant for Jefferson County Connects initiative

Allied Behavioral Health Solutions (ABHS) has been selected as one of 40 organizations to receive a Families First Community Grant, administered by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). This grant program will award more than $95 million in funding to organizations providing innovative direct services to support Tennessee families in need, including just over $630,000 total over two years for ABHS.

The grant will support ABHS’s Jefferson County Connects initiative, focusing on a four-pathway approach to assist the county’s children and families. These pathways include sustaining a school-based behavioral health liaison program, creating an early childhood liaison position to support licensed childcare providers, establishing the Jefferson County Connects Collective Impact Project, and developing a central referral system for community resources to reduce mobile crisis usage and promote family cohesion and community engagement.

Alison Peak, LCSW, Executive Director of ABHS, said, “We are thrilled to receive this funding, which will help us expand our vital services in Jefferson County. Our mission is to provide high-quality, evidence-based services that result in better outcomes for children and families, and this grant will enable us to further that mission in our community.”

In the TDHS news release announcing the grants, Commissioner Clarence H. Carter was quoted: “At TDHS, we understand that we have the greatest impact when we partner with community-based organizations to provide innovative solutions to better support families in need. With the help of these organizations, it is our goal to transform the state’s safety net for our most vulnerable citizens.”

ABHS, a provider-owned behavioral health practice, offers a range of services in communities throughout Tennessee including child and adolescent counseling, couples counseling, family

counseling, group counseling, individual counseling, EAP (Employee Assistance Program), and infant and early childhood mental health.

Established through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Opportunity Act, the Families First Community Grant program invests TANF funds to help low-income families move towards sustainable economic stability. Grant recipients were selected through a competitive application process, evaluated based on their ability to address community needs. In addition to tracking and reporting outcomes, organizations are expected to conduct pre- and post-assessments for each family, identifying the strengths and successes of their programs. For more information about Allied Behavioral Health Solutions, visit alliedbehavior.com. To learn more about the Families First Community Grant program and see the full list of grant recipients, visit the Tennessee Department of Human Services website at tn.gov/humanservices/tanf-opportunity-act/families-first-community-grant-partners.html.