Office of Public Information and Education
For additional information, please call Martha Robinson at (615) 532-6610 - Pager 1-800-283-0007 ID #7449

For Immediate Release
February 23, 2001

Memphis Area Agencies Awarded Housing Grants

Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (DMHDD) and the Tennessee Housing Developmental Agency (THDA) have partnered to award more than $1.2 million to three Memphis area agencies to provide housing for people with mental illness.

The announcement was made at a joint press conference on Friday, February 23 at the Memphis City Council Chambers – Lobby Level, 125 North Main. DMHDD Commissioner Elisabeth Rukeyser and THDA Director of Community Programs Jane Boles announced the grantees at 9:30 a.m. They include:

• Southeast Mental Health Center $323,172
• Helping CDC $100,000
• Foundations $841,439

The grants are the result of Creating Homes Initiative (CHI), an innovative TDMHDD initiative which proposes that 2005 new permanent housing options be created statewide by the year 2005. CHI was developed and implemented by Marie Williams, Director of the Office of Housing, Planning and Development, DMHDD.

"A major priority for our department is to create and expand a full continuum of affordable housing that is both safe and appropriate for persons with mental illness," said Rukeyser. "This is important to achieving and maintaining good mental health. We hope these initiatives in the Memphis area help residents with mental illness to successfully live in the community," she said.

Local CHI community task forces – each with representatives from key community agencies -- worked closely with state agencies to achieve CHI goals. Task force participants include faith based, nonprofit, foundations, architects and homebuilders, advocacy groups, service providers, realtors and federal, state and local agencies concerned with housing development.

 Back to Home page