In this update:
- NYS and NYC Opportunities
- OMH Issues RFP for Youth and Family Peer Advocate Workforce Expansion Grants
NYS and NYC Opportunities
OMH Issues RFP for Youth and Family Peer Advocate Workforce Expansion Grants
On October 31st, the New York State (NYS) Office of Mental Health (OMH) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the expansion of the family and youth peer advocate workforce. Family and youth peer advocates use their personal experience to support children with serious emotional disturbance, and their families, by actively participating in treatment planning and providing other support services. Through this RFP, OMH will support not-for-profit community-based organizations in establishing collaborative partnerships grassroot organizations (i.e., places of worship, community service agencies) to create a peer credentialing pathway and career pipeline for individuals with lived experience.
OMH will award $2.75 million in one-time funding to ten applicants across five regions statewide ($275,000 per applicant), including three awards in New York City and one award in Long Island. All funding will be disbursed in the first year of the contract; however, awarded applicants will have up to three years to complete project deliverables. Funding may be used to support:
- Subcontracts with 2-6 grassroots organizations throughout the region;
- Stipends/incentives for participating individuals;
- Outreach and community awareness initiatives in diverse communities; and
- Support for individuals participating in the youth and family peer credentialing process (e.g., managing payment of stipends, offering employment for individuals that complete their provisional certification).
Awards will be announced in February 2025, and contracts are expected to begin on July 1, 2025. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that are one of the following:
- An OMH-funded community-based organization that provides direct peer services to children with mental health needs and their families in the community through family peer and/or youth peer support; or
- An agency with OMH-licensed or designated programs/services that offer credentialed family and/or youth peer services (i.e., CFTSS, MHOTRS, or Youth ACT).
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on January 14, 2025. Questions may be submitted to Jeremy Rossello at OMHLocalProcurement@omh.ny.gov with “Youth and Family Peer Advocate Workforce Expansion Grants: Ensuring Access to Diverse and Inclusive Peer Support” in the subject line through November 21st. Answers to questions will be posted on the OMH website on December 11th.