23 Apr Funding Alert! Grants for Community Mental Health Centers

Posted at 21:22h in Competency One, Funding Opportunities by

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Attention community mental health centers! Does your organization serve individuals with serious emotional disturbance (SED), serious mental illness (SMI), and/or co-occurring disorder (COD) of SMI or SED and substance use disorders? And were your clients, staff, and services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? SAMHSA is now accepting applications for its 2021 Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) grant program. During the pandemic, the needs of many individuals with behavioral health conditions – including minority populations and economically disadvantaged communities – have not been effectively met. The CMHC program aims to support CMHC staff and other caregivers and to restore the delivery of clinical services impacted by the pandemic.

Proposals for this program are due May 21, 2021, with an anticipated project start date of September 30, 2021.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are nonprofit CMHCs, including those operated by state and local governments, that have at least two years of documented experience providing relevant services. Note that all applicants must register with the National Institutes of Health’s eRA Commons to submit an application, a process which can take up to six weeks. The project director must also have an active account affiliated with the organization within eRA Commons.

What do CMHC grants look like?

Proposed projects should work to address the unmet needs experienced by individuals in the applicant CMHC’s service area. Examples of these needs might include timely access to early intervention treatment, access to and availability of in-person (socially distanced) or virtual intensive treatment programs, and addressing under-utilization of crisis services because of fear of the pandemic.

CMHC projects must include the following activities:

  • Establish, strengthen, and/or sustain the necessary infrastructure for audio and audio-visual HIPAA-compliant telehealth capabilities;
  • Provide outpatient services for individuals with SED, SMI, and COD;
  • Provide trauma-informed screening, assessment, diagnosis, and patient-centered treatment;
  • Provide clinical and recovery support services; and
  • Develop and provide mental health resources for CMHC staff.

Recipients may choose to pursue additional activities, such as providing population-specific training for behavioral health professionals, increasing capacity for crisis beds, expanding mobile crisis mental health services, implementing outreach strategies to reach vulnerable populations, and more. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) includes the full list of required and allowable activities on pages 6-9.

The funder expects to award between 165 and 825 grants at varying levels across a two-year project period. Annual funding amounts are based on the number of unduplicated individuals with SED, SMI, and COD whom the funding will serve:

  • Minimum of 100 individuals served – up to $500,000;
  • Minimum of 300 individuals – up to $1,500,000;
  • Minimum of 400 individuals – up to $2,000,000; and
  • Minimum of 500 individuals – up to $2,500,000.

What makes a project a good fit?

SAMHSA intends to support existing organizations that are experienced, appropriately credentialed, and capable of demonstrating the infrastructure and expertise necessary to carry out the proposed activities. The funder also requires the use of evidence-based practices that are appropriate to the population(s) of focus.

Furthermore, the CMHC program requires additional reporting requirements that applicants should keep in mind. If funded, recipients are required to develop a behavioral health disparities impact statement within 60 days following the award. Recipients will also collect and report specific types of data: Infrastructure Development, Prevention and Mental Health Promotion (IPP), and National Outcome Measures (NOMS). NOMS data includes outcomes such as number of individuals served, diagnoses, abstinence from substance use, housing stability, education/employment, and more.

What if I am ready to apply? To move your project forward, take the following action steps as soon as possible:

What if I need help with this application?

Contact Assel Grant Services (AGS) today! Our team can help with all aspects of preparing the application and managing the grant if you are awarded. If you would like to discuss this possibility, please contact AGS as soon as possible. Rosie Brennan, Community Engagement Specialist, will be happy to talk with you about this opportunity and provide you a quote for grant services.

What if I am not ready to apply this year?

Start preparing for next year! SAMHSA also has a variety of other programs and funding opportunities available that might be a good fit. The office’s website has ample resources, webinars, and descriptions of available or upcoming opportunities.

How do I learn more about federal grant opportunities?

AGS is excited to offer a new Federal Grants Training Series coming in 2021! The series is designed to support nonprofit professionals before and during their first federal grant. AGS also offers several on demand webinars on a variety of topics to support the full grant cycle. Check out our website to learn more and sign up for our training newsletter.

AGS blogs, funding alerts, and trainings are aligned with the Grant Professional Certification Institute’s Competencies and Skills

Competency #1: Knowledge of how to research, identify, and match funding resources to meet specific needs

Skill 1.2: Identify major trends in public funding and public policy

Skill 1.6: Identify fundable programs and projects for specific organization

Skill 1.7: Determine best matches between funders and specific programs

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