U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, AL-07, was in Selma on Thursday to announce major federal funding that she secured to revitalize infrastructure in downtown Selma and expand mental health and substance use treatment services.
At a press conference at City Hall, Rep. Sewell was joined by Selma Mayor James Perkins and local elected officials where she presented a check for $1,666,279 to revitalize infrastructure in the City of Selma. The funding will be used to repair roads and sidewalks within a 12-block area of downtown. It is part of the $13.1 million that Rep. Sewell secured in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal government funding package for local projects in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.
“I grew up here in Selma, and I know what’s possible from this district with the right resources and opportunities,” said Rep. Sewell. “That’s why I have made it my mission to bring federal dollars back home to make our communities safer, stronger, and more prosperous. It is for that reason that I am so proud to announce $1.6 million that we secured to revitalize 12 blocks of roads and sidewalks downtown. Projects like this help foster economic development and make our city a better place to live and work!”
Later that afternoon, in observance of World Mental Health Day, Rep. Sewell was joined by Rural Health Medical Program CEO Keshee Dozier-Smith to deliver a check for $600,000 that she helped secure from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding will be used to expand the program’s mental health and substance use services and combat the mental health and opioid crises in the Black Belt. It is part of a $240 million investment by the Biden-Harris Administration to expand behavioral health services at community health centers across America.
“In this great nation of so much wealth and abundance, no American should go without access to healthcare, whether you live in a big city or a small town,” said Rep. Sewell. “That is especially true for those who struggle with a mental health condition or substance use. We as lawmakers must do all that we can to ensure that our rural communities have access to the treatments and services they need to overcome mental health and substance use struggles, and that is exactly what this funding will do.”
