SouthLight Healthcare Awarded Over $4M to Address Wake County’s Behavioral Healthcare Needs 

NCDHHS Grant Establishes First Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Wake County 

The NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded SouthLight Healthcare a three-year grant to increase access to and improve the quality of behavioral health services in Wake County.

This grant will allow SouthLight to expand access to comprehensive mental health and substance use services to individuals and families in our community, regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. 

SouthLight will become the first and only CCBHC in Wake County, and one of only 13 across the state.   

Wake County is now the largest county by population in NC, and growing at a rate of over 60 people per day, with over 1 million residents.  SouthLight will become the first and only CCBHC in Wake County, and one of only 13 across the state.   

Adam Hartzell, SouthLight CEO, shares, “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an emerging behavioral health crisis in our community, and as Wake County continues to grow, so does the need for expanded access to high-quality behavioral healthcare.  As a CCBHC, SouthLight will be better prepared to serve anyone who needs help and receive the high-quality care our community has come to expect from SouthLight.” 

The path to becoming a CCBHC will allow SouthLight to expand access to services such as same-day behavioral healthcare, mobile crisis services, treatment for opioid use disorder, primary care, community-based treatment and care coordination.

The path to becoming a CCBHC will allow SouthLight to expand access to services such as same-day behavioral healthcare, mobile crisis services, treatment for opioid use disorder, primary care, community-based treatment and care coordination. 

Kathryn Schley, LCSW will serve as SouthLight’s CCBHC Senior Director. Kathryn has worked in a variety of roles as a licensed clinical social worker in our community for nearly 20 years. During her tenure at SouthLight she has served as a Program Manager, Senior Director of Operations, and most recently, Director of Development.

Kathryn shares, “As a social worker, regardless of my role or position, my passion and commitment has always been to serve our clients and ensure people who need our services have access to them in a timely and compassionate manner.  I take great pride in the fact that, at SouthLight, we serve anyone who needs us, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status.  I know that becoming a CCBHC will only allow SouthLight to serve more people, more efficiently, and with the compassion and person-centered approach that we bring to our work each day.” 

Read more about the grant awards from NCDHHS here. For more information about SouthLight’s services, please visit SouthLight’s Services page.