In this update:
- NYS and NYC Opportunities
- DOH Releases RFA for SDH and Other Services to Reduce Disparities in Communities of Color
- OMH Releases RFA for Round 3 of Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program
- HRI Seeks Participants for Panel to Support DOH AIDS Institute Health Equity Unit
- Private Foundations and Other
- Johnson & Johnson Releases Application for Health Equity Innovation Challenge
NYS and NYC Opportunities
DOH Releases RFA for Prevention and Services that Address Social Determinants of Health and Reduce Health Disparities in Communities of Color
On October 19th, the New York State (NYS) Department of Health (DOH) released a Request for Applications (RFA) seeking community-based organizations to implement innovative approaches to support and increase access to HIV/STI/Hepatitis C (HCV) prevention interventions and behavioral and sexual health services for communities of color. The RFA is broken down into the following six components:
- Component A: Prevention and Essential Support Services for Men within Communities of Color
- Component B: Prevention and Essential Support Services for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Individuals (particularly in communities of color)
- Component C: Prevention and Essential Support Services for Women and Young Women within Communities of Color
- Component D: NYS HIV/STI/HCV Hotline and Social Media-Based Outreach for English and Spanish Speakers
- Component E: Training and Technical Assistance on HIV-Related Violence Targeting LGBTQ Individuals
- Component F: Capacity Building for High Impact Prevention for Hispanic/Latino Gay/Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
Applicants may only submit one application per component and no more than two applications in total. DOH will provide over $7.2 million in annual funding across the components (funding and number of awards for each component is available in the RFA). Contracts will last for five years starting May 1, 2024. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.
The RFA is available here. Applications are due on December 7th. Questions may be submitted to cocrfa@health.ny.gov with a reference to the RFA section and paragraph to which the question refers through November 2nd.
OMH Releases RFA for Round 3 of Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program
On October 31st, the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) released an RFA for the third round of the OMH Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program (OMH CMHLRP). This program supports licensed community mental health programs with the recruitment and retention of mental health professionals in underserved or health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) by providing payment for educational expenses in return for a three-year service obligation.
The previous rounds of CMHLRP provided student loan reimbursement for psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychiatric physician assistants. For this round, OMH will disburse up to $30,000 in loan repayment per individual over a three-year period for the following provider types:
- Licensed master social workers (LMSWs)
- Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs)
- Licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs)
- Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs)
- Licensed creative arts therapists (LCATs)
- Licensed psychoanalysts
- Licensed psychologists
Employees cannot participate in both the OMH CMHLRP and any other loan repayment program simultaneously (i.e., Doctors Across New York or NYC’s Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program). Funding will be provided directly to the licensed program, which will enter into loan repayment agreements with eligible staff and distribute payments accordingly. Individual programs are eligible for a maximum of $500,000 in total annual funding.
The following providers may apply on behalf of eligible existing employees or new prospective staff:
- Inpatient/CPEP: Article 28 hospital inpatient psychiatric units, Article 31 freestanding inpatient hospital programs, Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Programs (CPEPs), and Residential Treatment Facilities for Children/Youth.
- Outpatient: Article 31 outpatient programs, including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, Continuing Day Treatment (CDT), Children’s Day Treatment, Children’s Mental Health Rehabilitation Services (CMHRS/CFTSS), Partial Hospitalization (PH), Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS), Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services (MHOTRS) clinics, Crisis Stabilization Centers (Intensive and Supportive), and licensed providers of crisis residence programs.
OMH expects to make at least 500 awards through this round. There will be 100 awards reserved for individuals working in settings providing diversity, equity, and inclusion services, such as cultural or linguistic specialization. There will be an additional 100 awards set aside for individuals working in priority settings, such as school-based clinics. The number of available awards and funding amount is further allocated by region (Central, Hudson River, Long Island, New York, Western) as detailed on page 6 of the RFA.
The RFA materials are available here. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis until funds are exhausted. If all awards have not been made by February 29, 2024, awards may be allocated to any other region/applicant with a waitlist. Questions and applications should be submitted to OMH.CMHLRP@omh.ny.gov.
HRI Seeks Participants for Panel to Support DOH AIDS Institute Health Equity Unit
Health Research, Inc. (HRI) seeks to identify a panel of up to three individuals or organizations with expertise in health equity and racial justice that will support the emerging efforts of the NYS DOH AIDS Institute’s Health Equity Unit. The Health Equity Unit is tasked with developing training curricula, facilitating conversations about racism and health equity, delivering training to AIDS Institute staff, building organizational capacity of the AIDS Institute, training health and human service providers, promoting systems change in health and social services agencies, and promoting community collaborations to increase access within priority communities.
Applicants may be individual consultants, public or private training organizations, or Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs). Participants will be supported via project-based and hourly rates for deliverables that will be carried out for specific project periods within the larger timeframe of February 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026. HRI/DOH will establish contracts with selected applicants on an as-needed basis based on project requirements and funding availability.
Additional details are available here. All questions and responses to the application may be submitted to Louise Square at hivet@health.ny.gov by November 30th.
Private Foundations and Other
Johnson & Johnson Releases Application for Health Equity Innovation Challenge
This month, Johnson & Johnson opened the application period for this year’s Health Equity Innovation Challenge. Through this opportunity, Johnson & Johnson will award up to $75,000 of seed funding to selected applicants to support local entrepreneurs, start-ups, innovators, and community-based organizations with innovative solutions that close racial health gaps in their communities. The inaugural challenge in 2021 awarded 14 organizations from a pool of more than 180 applicants.
Resources and support also include:
- Mentorship from Johnson & Johnson leaders and external experts;
- Visibility through coordinated communications; and
- Access to Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS ecosystem, which provides health care start-ups with access to educational programming, networking, resources, amplification opportunities, and the chance to connect with therapeutic area experts and investors.
Additional details, including a list of the 2021 awardees, are available here. Applications will close on November 6th.