In this update:
- Federal Opportunities
- EPA Announces Open Application Period for Community Change Grants Program
- NYS and NYC Opportunities
- OMH Releases RFP for 13 Additional CCBHC Demonstration Sites for Existing Behavioral Health Clinics
- OMH Releases RFP for the Development of Critical Time Transition Programs for Children/Youth
- DOH Issues RFA for Community-Level Sexual Violence Prevention Strategies
Federal Opportunities
EPA Announces Open Application Period for Community Change Grants Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for approximately $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds for environmental and climate justice activities that benefit disadvantaged communities. Activities may include, but are not limited to, reducing indoor toxins and indoor air pollution, workforce development that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and investments in low- and zero-emission technologies and infrastructure.
Applicants may choose to apply under one of the following tracks:
- Community-Driven Investments for Change (150 awards of $10-$20 million each)
- Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance (20 awards of $1-$3 million each)
Eligible applicants include:
- A partnership between two community-based not-for-profit organizations (CBOs); or
- A partnership between a CBO and a Federally-Recognized Tribe, a local government, or an institution of higher education.
Lead applicants may submit a maximum of two eligible applications and may receive up to two awards. Grants will last for three years. All grants will be awarded by September 30, 2026.
The NOFO is available here. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through November 21st. An FAQ document is available here. Questions may be submitted to CCGP@epa.gov. Technical assistance is available to help design a project, prepare an application, and/or facilitate partnerships.
NYS and NYC Opportunities
OMH Releases RFP for 13 Additional CCBHC Demonstration Sites for Existing Behavioral Health Clinics
On March 26th, the New York State (NYS) Office of Mental Health (OMH) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of 13 new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) within the ten economic development regions of NYS. There will be five CCBHCs awarded downstate (New York City and Long Island) and eight CCBHCs awarded upstate.
CCBHCs are the behavioral health analogue to the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) model, offering integrated behavioral health care to all individuals regardless of ability to pay. These CCBHCs will become participants in the federal CCBHC demonstration, meaning that they will be reimbursed at a comprehensive cost-based daily rate from Medicaid. The CCBHC model is widely viewed as an important advance in providing care to people with serious behavioral health needs, as the CCBHC becomes the center for coordinating physical, behavioral, and social care for its enrollees. The care model is administered by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and has received bipartisan support at the federal and state levels since the demonstration began in 2017.
Awarded agencies will receive one-time start-up funds of $265,000 each and programmatic support to grow existing operations to reach CCBHC demonstration standards. Contracts will begin on October 1st, and the CCBHC must be operational by July 1, 2025. All funding must be expended by June 30, 2026. Funding may be used for staffing, EHR, telehealth, crisis service, agreement development with Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCOs), marketing materials, training, and certain space refurbishments, among other allowances.
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that have a licensed Article 31 Mental health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitation (MHOTRS) clinic and a licensed Article 32 Substance Use Disorder Outpatient Programs clinic. It is permissible for the applicant to have only one of the above clinics and have a licensing or certification application for the other program under way as of the date of issuance for this RFP. The proposed CCBHC location site must hold either an Article 31, Article 32, or both license(s).
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on July 1st. Awards are expected to be announced on August 7th. Agencies are encouraged, but not required, to submit a Letter of Intent by May 30th. Questions may be submitted to Jeremy Rossello at OMHLocalProcurement@omh.ny.gov with the subject line “OMH 112 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)” through April 24th. Questions will be posted on the OMH and OASAS websites by May 16th.
OMH Releases RFP for the Development of Critical Time Transition Programs for Children/Youth
On March 21st, OMH released an RFP for the development of up to ten Critical Time Transition Programs (CTTP) for children, youth, and families. There will be up to one CTTP awarded in each of the ten Economic Development Regions of NYS. The CTTP is comprised of a Critical Time Intervention (CTI) team and a Transitional Residential Setting (TRS) with allowance for up to a 120 day stay. The target population is children/youth ages 11-17 with behavioral health conditions who would benefit from an intervention during a critical transition in care, including a discharge from an emergency department, pediatric unit, or inpatient psychiatric unit.
Each awarded applicant will receive $100,000 each in one-time start-up funding, to be allocated at the beginning of the contract. Awardees will also receive both capital funding for the development of the TRS and operating funding for both the CTI team and the TRS. Over the course of the contract, OMH plans to submit a Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) to allow for Medicaid reimbursement for the CTI component of the CTTP. Once approved, funding will change from full state aid coverage to a mix of state aid and Medicaid billing. Contracts will last for five years, beginning on October 1st.
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that have experience providing inpatient or residential services and care management and/or behavioral health services to children/youth and their families. Applicants may have experience providing these services in programs or opportunities other than those licensed by OMH. Additional consideration will be given to applicants that have at least one program serving children/youth that is licensed by OMH and at least one program serving children/youth that is certified by OPWDD.
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on May 28th. Awards are expected to be announced on July 3rd. There will be a Bidder’s Conference on April 9th from 1pm-2pm, which may be accessed here. Questions may be submitted to Carol Swiderski at OMHLocalProcurement@omh.ny.gov with the subject line “CTTP for Children, Youth, and Families Inquiry” through April 18th.
DOH Issues RFA for Community-Level Sexual Violence Prevention Strategies
On March 25th, the NYS Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with Health Research, Inc. (HRI), released a Request for Applications (RFA) seeking not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and local government agencies to plan, implement, and evaluate community-level sexual violence prevention strategies for the Rape Prevention and Education Program. Through this RFA, DOH will award seven organizations with $170,000-$230,000 in annual funding during the four-year program period. There will be two awards in New York City: one award in the Bronx and one award in Brooklyn.
Award recipients will be required to select one of the following community engagement approaches:
- Community mobilization;
- Coalition building; or
- Promotores/Community Health Workers (CHWs)
The first fifteen months (11/1/2024 – 1/31/2026) of the program will be focused on capacity building and planning (e.g. conduct an organizational capacity assessment, conduct community assessment, develop a logic model, and develop an implementation & evaluation plan). The final three years (2/1/2026-1/31/2029) will be focused on implementing and evaluating the prevention strategies developed in the first fifteen months.
The RFA is available here. Applications are due on May 24th. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit a Letter of Intent to SVPrevention@health.ny.gov by April 15th. Questions may be submitted to the email address above through April 15th with a reference to the RFA section and paragraph to which the question refers.