Block Grant Resources

Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) Resources

• Recovery Support Services Table (PDF | 464 KB) - Recovery support services are integral to the provision of comprehensive and high-quality mental health care. Recovery support services play an important role in assisting individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) on their path to recovery. It is imperative for states to actively explore avenues to integrate recovery support services, including those delivered by peers, into their continuum of care. SAMHSA’s BG guidelines as demonstrated in the following MHBG table outline allowable recovery support services within the federal statutory and regulatory parameters. This concerted effort ensures that individuals receive holistic care, treatment, recovery, and other support services.
• Letter to State Mental Health Commissioners on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) (P.L. 117-159) (PDF | 224 KB) — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is recommending that states utilize funding to strengthen and enhance mental health emergency preparedness and crisis response efforts.
• A Primer on Maintenance of Effort Requirements for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant & Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (PDF | 832 KB) — An overview of MOE requirements for the two block grant programs that are vital to state substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services and state mental health services.
• Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Letter to the State Authority for Mental and Substance Use Disorders (PDF | 636 KB) — Guidance to states for both the SUBG and MHBG regarding a MOE waiver for any state that experiences extraordinary economic circumstances in a state fiscal year.
• Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Block Grant Maintenance of Effort Requirements for the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) (PDF | 295 KB) — FAQs on waivers, material compliance, and deadlines/notifications in regards to when a state has not met the MOE.
• Mental Health Block Grant 5 percent Crisis Set-Aside Guidance (PDF | 192 KB) Guidance for the required 5 percent set aside of the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) allocation for each state to support evidence-based crisis systems as directed by Congress through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act, 2021 [P.L. 116-260].
• Mental Health Block Grant Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Guidance (PDF | 276 KB) In accordance with the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act, 2021 [P.L. 116-260], the document provide guidance to the states on the use of the additional $825 million distributed through the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) program to assist in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• American Rescue Plan Act Guidance (PDF | 309 KB) —This document provides guidance to the states for the funds distributed through mental health and substance abuse block grants in accordance with Public Law 117-2, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to address the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic for Americans with mental illness and substance use disorders.
• MHBG 10 Percent Set-Aside Guidance (PDF | 92 KB) — Mental Health Block Grant 10 percent Set-Aside Guidance: Guidance for the required 10 percent set aside of the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) allocation to support evidence-based programs that address the needs of individuals with a first episode psychosis as directed by Congress through its FY 2016 Omnibus bill, Public Law 114-113.
• Best Practices for State Behavioral Health Planning Councils: The Road to Planning Council Integration (PDF | 856 KB) — The document provides guidance and best practices to mental health planning councils transitioning to a behavioral health planning council. The guide reviews the factors involved in transitioning to a behavioral health planning council, best practices and technical assistance resources.

Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG) Resources

• Recovery Support Services Table (PDF | 464 KB) - The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 includes language requiring SAMHSA block grant program recipients to report recovery support services delivered. This table identifies allowable services under the SUPTRS Block Grant for recovery support services. It includes several definitions that grantees will need to meet reporting requirements found in the FY 24-25 MHBG/SUBG Application and Reporting Package. Further instructions are found in the application. We look forward to beginning the process of capturing the data to measure the great recovery support service work happening throughout the country.
• Addressing Workforce Issues on Retention and Recruitment Webinar (1 hour, 31 minutes)— This webinar provides attendees a synopsis of the SAMHSA sponsored Learning Collaborative series that took place with select states between March – June 2023. Attendees will learn strategies for: assessing state recruitment and retention efforts; recruiting a diverse staff and workforce; supporting Peer Specialists/Recovery Coaches; building partnerships with academic institutions; among other relevant strategies.
• Fourth Trimester: Serving Pregnant People with Substance Use Disorder Webinar (55 minutes, 22 seconds) — This webinar will highlight promising evidence-based strategies to decrease stigma that pregnant and postpartum people with a substance use disorder often experience, improve screening and linkage to life-saving treatment, and recovery supports for this often vulnerable patient population.
• Improving Data Collection and Reporting Learning Collaborative Webinar (1 hour, 29 minutes) — The purpose of the webinar is to provide attendees with a synopsis of the SAMHSA sponsored Learning Collaborative (LC) series that took place with select states between March – June 2023. Attendees will learn strategies for: examining state data systems; setting expectations for SUD providers; working with data partners; improving data from the bottom up; capturing the client’s recovery journey and telling a story with data. Further, subject matter experts, LC participants, and SAMHSA leadership will present offering additional insight. All states, no matter their participation in the LC series, were invited to attend.
• Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, & Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRS BG) Application Webinar (1 hour, 36 minutes) — This webinar will provide states with an overview of the FY2024 – 25 SUPTRS BG Application guidance and to explain the key changes.
• Improving the Quality of Funding Sub-recipient Applications: SSA SUPTRS BG Related Strategies (1 hour, 9 minutes) — This webinar addresses strategies for the Single State Authority’s office to prepare potential applicants (subrecipients) to apply for Substance Use Prevention Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant funds prior to the release of the funding opportunity. The webinar includes concise communication strategies to subrecipients, preparation for an informational webinar to review the proposal content, strategies to strengthen proposal sections and scoring criteria, and how to convey block grant requirements, restrictions, and assurances to subrecipients.
• CSAT Introduction to State Program Improvement Technical Assistance (38 minutes) — The State Program Improvement–Technical Assistance (State TA) Project provides states and territories with TA to aid in the implementation of the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRS BG) programs. The webinar will review the TA strategy and the types of TA State Mental Health Authorities (SMHAs) can expect to receive through this project.
• Directory of Single State Agencies (SSA) for Substance Abuse Services (PDF | 305 KB)
• Use of Block Grant Funds for Prescription Overdose (PDF | 604 KB) — This document provides guidance and resources related to use SUBG funds for prescription overdose prevention, education and treatment.
• CEO's Funding Agreements/Certifications (Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment) [Form 3] (PDF | 62 KB) — The applicant's chief executive officer (CEO) must complete this certification, indicating that the applicant complies with all statutory requirements of the grant.
• SABG Nondiscrimination Letter (PDF | 257 KB) — This letter provides guidance to block grant recipients regarding non-discrimination and the provision of services to all clients.
• SABG Fact Sheet (PDF | 80 KB) — An overview of the SABG's purpose, including a description of the mandatory allocations for the program
• SABG Maintenance of Effort Fact Sheet — A review of the SUBG Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements and available resources
• SABG Maintenance of Effort Letter to the SSA's and MH Commissioners (COVID-19) (PDF | 570 KB)
• SABG Early Intervention Services for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (PDF | 28 KB) — A fact sheet about the SUBG requirement to provide early intervention for HIV at sites where individuals receive substance use disorder treatment services
• SABG Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Services (ADMS) and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grants Women's Services (PDF | 25 KB) — A review of the requirements for the SUBG set-aside for women and women with dependents. This includes a purpose statement and resources.
• SABG Crosswalk for Title XIX, Part B, Subparts II and III and 45 CFR 96.120-137 (PDF | 45 KB) — Crosswalk of the SUBG requirements against statute and regulation
• Joint bulletin on Medication-Assisted Treatment – 2014 (PDF | 155 KB)

Data Resources

• Behavioral Health Barometer, 2013 — Presents a set of substance use and mental health indicators from population- and treatment facility-based data sets. Provides point-in-time and trend data reflecting the status and progress in improving key behavioral health indicators.
• Data, Outcomes, and Quality (DOQ) — Is a mental health and substance use data, outcomes, and quality resource. Includes data compilations of Behavioral Health Prevalence Data (NSDUH), National Outcomes Measures (NOMs), Treatment Data (TEDS), and other data sources.

Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Block Grants Resources

• Guidance for Block Grant Funds for Cost-Sharing Assistance for Private Health Insurance (PDF | 203 KB)
• Guidance on SABG and MHBG Requirements (PDF | 1.6 MB) — Resource for funding of for-profits organizations, vendor compliance and audit requirements for sub-recipients and vendors
• Letter to SSA Directors (PDF | 273 KB) — Guidance to states regarding the use of SABG funds for a specific target population, specifically tribal members.
• Grantee Experience: Voucher Management Systems as a Program and Financial Management Tool (PDF | 1.1 MB) — This Technical Assistance (TA) package to help grantees understand and use Voucher Management Systems
• Access to Recovery Service Menus and Recovery Support Services (PDF | 611 KB) — This TA package provides information, resources, tips, and tools to help grantee key staff understand the role of service menus and recovery support services in the continuing transformation of the SUD system of care.
• Independent Evaluation of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program
  • Executive Summary (PDF | 209 KB)
  • Highlights of Key Findings (PDF | 1.4 MB)
  • Detailed Key Findings (PDF | 2.5 MB)
  • Final Report (PDF | 1.1 MB)

Syringe Services Program Guidance for States and Jurisdictions

• Guidance for Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) — 2016 (PDF | 88 KB) — Guidance describing use of Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant  Funds to support syringe services programs (SSPs)
• FY 2016-2016 Uniform Application Section III. Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan Subsection D. Environmental Factors and Plan - Amendment (PDF | 184 KB)
• Amendment to FY 2016-2017 Uniform Application Memorandum (PDF | 539 KB)

Summary Data reports from FY 2013-2018 MHBG and SABG Block Grants

• SABG Unduplicated Count of Persons Served by Age Group with Gender & Race Breakout (XLS | 766 KB)
• SABG Prevention Persons Served by Race and Ethnicity — Individual Programs (XLS | 109 KB)
• MHBG Unduplicated Persons Served Count by Age Group with Gender & Race Breakdown (XLS | 1.47 MB)
• MHBG Prevention Persons Served by Age Group and Gender — Individual Programs (XLS | 129 KB)

Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Block Grants Resources

• FY 2014 – FY 2015 Reporting Section (PDF | 1.3 MB) — This OMB-approved guidance provides information on MHBG and SABG reporting for grantees, including sample tables. This is for informational purposes only.
• OMB Notice of Approval — OMB Approval of the FY 2014-2015 Uniform Block Grant Application/Plan and Report. This is for informational purposes only.
• Funding of For-Profit Organizations (PDF | 1.6 MB) — This document provides guidance to block grant recipients on funding for for-profit organizations.