On December 23rd, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for one-time grants to licensed Article 31 clinics to expand school-based mental health services. Using federal funding provided through the 2020 year-end omnibus spending bill’s supplemental mental health block grant, OMH will provide $3 million in total funding for up to 120 awards for the development of school-based clinic satellite sites. Of this funding, a maximum of $1.5 million will be awarded to New York City-based providers, while at least $1.5 million will be allocated to providers outside of New York City.
The school-based satellite sites will support children and youth returning to school following the Covid-19 pandemic and increase access to in-person and telehealth services that divert the use of higher levels of care. The school-based satellite locations should be in areas:
- Significantly impacted by rates of Covid-19;
- Identified as being high needs (i.e., high rates of poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, etc.); and/or
- Serving disenfranchised or marginalized populations.
The full RFA is attached, and our summary can be found here. Applications will be accepted on a first come/first serve basis until March 1, 2022. Questions may be submitted to carol.swiderski@omh.ny.gov.