Description

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Cooperative Agreements for the Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances (Short title: System of Care (SOC) Expansion and Sustainability Cooperative Agreements).  The purpose of this program is to improve behavioral health outcomes for children and youth (birth-21) with serious emotional disturbances (SED) and their families.  This program will support the widescale operation, expansion, and integration of the SOC approach by creating sustainable infrastructure and services that are required as part of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program (also known as the Children’s Mental Health Initiative or CMHI). 

This cooperative agreement will support the provision of mental health and related recovery support services to children and youth with SED and those with early signs and symptoms of serious mental illness (SMI), including first episode psychosis (FEP), and their families.

The SOC Expansion and Sustainability Cooperative Agreements will build upon progress made in developing comprehensive SOC across the country by focusing on sustainable financing, cross-agency collaboration, the creation of policy and infrastructure, and the development and implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed services and supports.  Other activities supported will include the implementation of systemic changes, training, and workforce development.  

The CMHI provides an excellent example of SAMHSA’s Theory of Change.  Based on data demonstrating improved outcomes for children, youth, and families, service system improvements, and a positive return on investment, CMHI has been successful in moving the SOC approach from a demonstration program towards a more widescale adoption of the SOC values and principles. 

The goal is to continue these efforts to ensure that this approach becomes the primary way in which mental health services for children and youth with SED are delivered throughout the nation. 

The SOC Expansion and Sustainability Cooperative Agreements program closely aligns with SAMHSA’s Recovery Support Strategic Initiative.  In addition, the program seeks to address behavioral health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities by encouraging the implementation of strategies to decrease the differences in access, service use, and outcomes among racial and ethnic minority populations served.  (See PART II:  Appendix F – Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities.)

The SOC Expansion and Sustainability Cooperative Agreements are authorized under Sections 561-565 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.  This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic Area HP 2020-MHMD.

Eligibility

Eligibility for this program is statutorily limited to public entities, such as:

State governments; Indian or tribal organizations (as defined in Section 4[b] and Section 4[c] of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act); Governmental units within political subdivisions of a state, such as a county, city or town; District of Columbia government; and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands).

Note:  Grantees that received funding under the Cooperative Agreements for the Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances in FY 2013, FY 2014, and FY 2015, are NOT eligible to apply for this announcement.  A list of current grantees ineligible to apply can be found in Appendix III.

Eligible state applicants for this grant may not choose local jurisdictions (See Appendix III) that have received a Cooperative Agreement for the Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances in FY 2013, FY 2014, or FY 2015.  If a state applicant submits an application with a local jurisdiction that is a current grantee (See Appendix III), the application will be screened out and will not be reviewed.

If a state applicant identifies a local jurisdiction that has submitted a separate application, SAMHSA will review and score both applications.  If both applications are in the fundable range, the application with the highest priority score will be funded. 

Award Information

Funding Mechanism: Cooperative Agreement

Anticipated Total Available Funding: $52,905,470

Anticipated Number of Awards: Up to 53

Anticipated Award Amount: Up to $3,000,000 per year

Length of Project: Up to 4 years

Cost Sharing/Match Required?: Yes

Proposed budgets cannot exceed $3,000,000 for state applicants and $1,000,000 for political subdivisions of states, tribes, tribal organizations, and territories total costs (direct and indirect) in any year of the proposed project.  Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds, grantee progress in meeting project goals and objectives, timely submission of required data and reports, and compliance with all terms and conditions of award.