MINNEAPOLIS — Two Minnesota clinics have each received federal grants of $250,000 to improve and increase their mental-health services.

The clinics are the Open Door Health Center of Mankato and the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais.

Rita Plourde is the executive director of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. She said family physicians at her clinic are treating an increasing number of patients with mental-health needs.

She hopes to use the money to hire in-house behavioral health specialists. That could include clinical psychologists and mental-health counselors.

The grant money is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was awarded through the Affordable Care Act.