On August 31st, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the expansion of timely in-person and telehealth access to intensive community-based services for children and youth. Through this RFA, OMH will provide one-time funding for the provision of comprehensive community mental health services for children and youth returning to school following the Covid-19 pandemic. Services should aim to divert children/youth from higher levels or care and/or provide safe stepdown from higher levels of care.
OMH will provide a total of up to $1.9 million in funding through this RFA to eligible providers, with a maximum of $950,000 awarded to all providers in New York City and Long Island and $950,000 to all providers elsewhere. This funding was allocated to New York through the additional Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding contained in the year-end 2020 omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act. This funding opportunity is intended to:
- Increase service capacity for eligible and appropriate referrals;
- Decrease program length of stay and service waitlists;
- Increase workforce capacity to support service access and provision; and
- Increase community awareness and education regarding services and availability/access.
OMH will provide up to $30,000 in expansion funding and up to $50,000 in start-up funding to existing OMH-licensed providers. Applicants may only submit one application for either expansion or start-up funding.
The full RFA and our summary are attached. Applications are due on November 1st and will be reviewed and awarded in the order they are received.