On August 4th, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the expansion of Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams throughout New York State. The Youth ACT teams will serve children and youth (ages 10-21) with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) who:
- Are returning home from inpatient settings or residential services;
- Are at risk of entering such settings; or
- Have not adequately engaged or responded to treatment in more traditional community-based settings.
OMH will provide 10 awards across five regions statewide. The Youth ACT teams will be funded through Medicaid and net deficit funding, in addition to $425,000 in start-up and transition/ramp-up funding. Youth ACT teams will deliver intensive, highly coordinated, individualized services and skilled therapeutic interventions through an integrated and multi-disciplinary team.
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) agencies that have experience providing mental health services to individuals with SED. OMH-licensed Residential Treatment Facilities (RTFs) may be given preference for funding. The awarded applicant will be further subject to the submission and approval of a Prior Application Review (PAR) application to become a licensed ACT team and receive an official operating certificate.
The full RFP is available here, and our summary can be found here. Applications are due on September 28th.