HHS’s Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in their Center for Mental Health Service (CMHS) has made $21.8 million available to fund the program “2010 State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement.” On January 8th, the agency issued a Request for Applications (No.SM-10-009) due by March 4, 2010.
The goal is to develop the infrastructure to help collect and report on five Mental Health Block Grant National Outcome Measures over the next three years. The measures to be reported include employment/school attendance, stability in housing, criminal justice involvement, readmission, and access and capacity at hospitals, and demographic characteristics. This will enable state hospitals to better access and serve populations and communities with specific mental health needs.
Applicants for this funding must show the linkages, needs, the proposed infrastructure development strategy, and how the increased system capacity will sustain effective programs and services.
Experts predict that up to one third of returning veterans will need mental health and /or substance abuse treatment and related services. Therefore SAMHSA strongly encourages all applicants to consider the needs of returning veterans and their mental health needs.
There will be approximately 59 grants awarded for up to three years. The state mental health authorities including the District of Columbia that are selected for the grants are eligible for up to $132,941 each year for three years. Mental health authorities for the U.S. Territories that are selected are eligible for up to $60,000 each year for up to three years in funding.
For more information, go to www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2010/SM-10-009.asx or email Olinda Gonzalez, PhD, at olinda.gonzalez@samhsa.hhs.gov.
