ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing seven new grants for a total of up to $6.4 million over up to three years to provide tribal and urban American Indian and Alaskan Native communities resources to plan and design a holistic, community-based system of care to support mental health and wellness for their children, youth and families.

The Circles of Care Infrastructure Development for Children's Mental Health Systems in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities grants will help build the capacity of behavioral health systems serving American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities.

As a result, Circles of Care grantees will be equipped to reduce the gap between the need for behavioral health services and the availability and coordination of services for providing this help.

"The grants will help more American Indian and Alaskan Native young people from birth to age 25 receive care needed for behavioral health problems," said SAMHSA Administrator, Pamela S. Hyde. "When we intervene early in culturally relevant ways, the lives of young people are kept on track and years of disability and harm can be prevented."

New grantees will receive up to $312,000 each year for up to three years. The actual award amount may vary, depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees.

The grantees and their first-year grant amounts are:

Further information about SAMHSA's grant programs is available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

SOURCE The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

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