Applications are available from Clallam County Health and Human Services for new and expanded services to address mental health and chemical dependency challenges in the community. The applications outline proposal requirements for service providers interested in bidding for treatment-related funds.

The new projects will be funded by the 1/10th of 1 percent sales tax initiative passed by the county commissioners in 2007 which is earmarked in large part for expanded mental health and chemical dependency services.

Eight projects are under way in the community to help youths and adults with mental health or addiction-related conditions, as well as those with "co-occurring disorders," a combination of mental health and chemical dependency problems.

The requests for new proposals are aimed at expanding these services to more community members throughout the county.

Specifically, proposals are being solicited for the following four project areas:

• Psychiatric nurse practitioner services for co-occurring disordered and mental health patients;

• Behavioral health services for juveniles in the court system;

• Co-occurring disorders outpatient services for adults or youths; and

• Chemical dependency and mental health services for unfunded clients

A goal of all of the projects is to provide services for youths and adults who do not qualify for state-funded services in these areas and who do not have private insurance to cover needed treatment.

Another goal is to offer services that are not covered by state funding yet for which there are genuine, documented needs in the community.

The Chemical Dependency/Mental Health Program Fund Advisory Board whose members are appointed by the commissioners is charged with reviewing community data, analyzing needs and identifying the priority service areas.

Proposal applications are available now and interested parties can downlink the proceedings of a Bidders' Conference held Oct. 23, at www.clallam.net/assets/

images/10-23-08_CD-MH_

Bidders_Conference.mp3. The conference addressed participant questions about the proposal process and the projects being funded.

Proposals are due to the county by 4:30 p.m. on Friday Nov. 14.

Request for Proposal applications for any of the four project areas can be obtained by e-mailing Jude Anderson, Clallam County Health and Human Services treatment coordinator, at janderson1@co.clallam.wa.us. Interested parties wishing to receive applications in the mail can receives copies by calling 417-2417.