AHN Center for Inclusion Health Receives $325,000 Grant to Expand Community-Based Behavioral Health Services in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Center for Inclusion Health (CIH) today announced it has received a $325,000 grant from Eden Hall Foundation to expand its community-based behavioral health services. The funding will support the launch in the coming months of the 'AHN Mobile Mental Health Access Project,' which aims to address the critical need for accessible mental health and substance use disorder treatment in underserved communities throughout the City of Pittsburgh.

The project will deploy a fully equipped mobile unit staffed by a dedicated behavioral health consultant (BHC) as part of a multidisciplinary care team. The team will provide rapid intervention, stabilization and short-term therapy to individuals struggling with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder, many of whom also experience homelessness. The team will facilitate access to specialized psychiatry and addiction care, navigate patients to other necessary health services and work to connect them with local resources that address social determinants of health.

This initiative directly addresses a significant public health challenge. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 21.5 million U.S. adults had a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder in 2022. Access to care for these patients is often hampered by cost, wait times, challenges maintaining sobriety and a shortage of providers trained in dual-diagnosis treatment.

The urgency is further underscored by the fact that, while Pennsylvania saw a decrease in drug overdose deaths from January 2023 to January 2024, over 4,000 people still died from overdoses during that period, according to CDC data. Allegheny County alone recorded 665 overdose deaths in 2023.

The Mobile Mental Health Access Project aims to reach 200 unique individuals in its first year and will build upon CIH's street medicine and addiction medicine services in which AHN caregivers reach individuals where they are to provide them the care they need. 

"This innovative project will directly address the critical need for accessible behavioral health services in our community, particularly for individuals facing both mental illness and substance use disorder," said Liz Cuevas, MD, division chief, AHN Center for Inclusion Health. "We are extremely grateful for the support of Eden Hall Foundation and are excited to bring this vital care to those who need it most."

The funding from Eden Hall will support the hiring of a BHC and the build-out of the mobile unit to include a patient exam area, bathroom, generator, climate control and refrigerator. The unit will be stocked with essential patient supplies such as hygiene items, snacks and water.

"We are excited to partner with the AHN Center for Inclusion Health because health equity is so essential in Pittsburgh," said Sylvia Fields, president, Eden Hall Foundation. "Increasing access to health care can seriously improve health outcomes by removing barriers preventing people from seeking the care they need. In turn, the city itself becomes healthier."

Founded in 2014, the AHN CIH aims to transform health care through the development of innovative clinical care models, advocacy, training and research to better serve all people, including those experiencing social and health exclusion. To learn more, visit www.ahn.org/center-for-inclusion-health.

About Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network, a Highmark Health company, is an integrated health care delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home- and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. AHN provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes and more. AHN employs approximately 23,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff.

About Eden Hall Foundation

Eden Hall Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our area through the support of organizations whose missions address the needs and concerns of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Through the creation and support of vibrant communities, the promotion of wellness and useful knowledge, the Foundation's mission and goals are realized. Learn more about Eden Hall Foundation at www.edenhallfdn.org.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network