Pa. Department of Aging Expanding Access to Mental Health Services

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging announced that it will use a three-year, $270,295 Administration of Community Living (ACL) grant to expand its Healthy IDEAS (Identify Depression and Empowering Activities for Seniors) Program, reports ABC-TV 27 . Pennsylvania is the first state to independently train and administer the Healthy IDEAS Program and convene the aging network and the mental/behavioral health community to enhance benefits for older adults and their families impacted by depression. The program is undertaken by trained staff in-person, by phone, or video chat over three to six months. The new grant will be used to better identify and tackle depression among older adults. "This ACL grant allows the department to increase the capacity of our aging network to assist more seniors and strengthen relationships with community behavioral health resources and medical providers throughout the commonwealth," said state Secretary of Aging Robert Torres.