The Placer County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two contracts Tues., Feb. 8, 2011, that will strengthen the county’s efforts to provide mental health services in cooperation with a coalition of community partners.

The board agreed to distribute $507,392 in state mental health funds to two locally based foundations: the Placer Community Foundation and the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation, which will provide renewable grants of up to $10,000 to community-based organizations to develop new support services to residents with challenging mental health issues.

“These new contracts will facilitate the transition to a more sustainable and dependable service model that is built on community capacity, supports independence for Placer County youth and families, and reduces the need for publicly funded services,” said Richard Knecht, Director of Placer’s Children’s System of Care.

“This funding will build new innovative service models within Placer County’s community partnerships, and will enhance the existing services utilized by our faith-based and other community-driven partners for more than 2,500 residents,” a staff report explains.

The recommendation to create the grant process came from the Campaign for Community Wellness, a coalition that includes the Placer County Office of Education, county Probation Department and many community nonprofit groups. The grant plan has been approved by the State Department of Mental Health.