Western Kentucky University receives grant from Health Resources and Services Administration

Western Kentucky University has received a $100,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The grant will fund the university’s “Working Together Kentucky: Network Planning for Mental Health Needs of Autistic Adults” project, a collaborative initiative that will help improve access to mental health services for adults with autism.

According to an article on Western Kentucky University’s website, Dr. Kim Link, who will serve as the Principal Investigator on the project and is the Director of the WKU Institute for Rural Health, was quoted as saying of the project, "This planning grant represents an important opportunity to bring together organizations that share a commitment to improving the health and well-being of autistic adults in rural Kentucky. Our goal is to build a sustainable network that identifies community needs, strengthens partnerships, and creates a clear roadmap for expanding autism-informed mental health services across the region."

The one-year grant comes from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Network Development Planning Program. The initiative aims to develop sustainable rural healthcare networks so that individuals who live in rural areas will have access to mental health services.

The project will bring together Western Kentucky University researchers, the WKU Institute for Rural Health, the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex, CAYA (formerly Lifeskills, Inc.), Bluegrass Professional Counseling, community members, community organizations, and autistic individuals to identify needs and develop a plan of action. The project will conduct an assessment of the resources already available, establish a regional planning network, and develop an action plan.

Many rural communities in Kentucky lack access to healthcare providers who have autism-specific experience. Autistic adults often have co-occurring medical conditions like depression and anxiety, but because of where they are living, they do not have the access to the care they need.

Western Kentucky University was one of 10 organizations to receive the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Network Development Planning Program funding.

For more information about Western Kentucky University, visit the school’s website.