THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

More help is headed to the Black Belt for support of mental health issues.

Rep. Yusuf Salaam, D-Selma, praised Gov. Bob Riley on Wednesday after learning a $1.2 million grant will help improve mental health services in the Black Belt.

The grant from the Bristol-Myers-Squibb Foundation is to the state and will be funded over a two-year period. It will fund several projects, including helping equip a van to bring assessment and treatment to rural areas, conducting educational forums, and sponsoring health fairs.

Riley said in making the announcement there has been a need for increased mental health treatment in the Black Belt.

Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, said the establishment of the Black Belt Action Commission, a volunteer committee of a cross section of community and business leaders working to improve conditions, makes grants like this more feasible.