The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment within HHS, released a Request for Application (RFA) to use health IT to enable substance abuse treatment providers help individuals in underserved areas. Domestic public and private nonprofit entities are eligible for this funding.
The funding for health IT can be used to expand existing systems or be used for adjunct technologies such as consumer-oriented wireless technology, personal health record systems, or other electronic systems. The funding can be used to provide web-based services, smart phones, and behavioral health electronic applications (e-apps). These technological tools can also complement existing or new EHR systems.
FY 2011 Grant Request for Application (TI-11-002), titled “Grants to Expand Care Coordination through the Use of HIT in Targeted Areas of Need” was posted on May 2, 2011 and is due by June 13, 2011.
Funding for $5.6 million is available with up to 20 awards. The anticipated award amount will be up to $280,000 per year.
SAMHSA’s second Request for Application (SM-11-012) released on May 4 under the “Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration” (PBHCI HIT) grant announcement. This grant funding is a one year supplemental award to expand the use of interoperable electronic health records to quickly identify both the behavioral health and primary care needs of patients. The goal is to deliver prevention services to link primary care and behavioral health needs but also to track outcomes.
The supplement support will enable the integration of primary care services with the care delivered in publicly funded community mental health and other community-based behavioral health settings. Through this initiative, the agency will work to increase the use of interoperable, certified EHR systems.
Eligibility for this supplemental funding is limited to current PBHCI grantees. The anticipated funding will be up to $11.2 million with 56 anticipated awards with the award amount to be $200,000 for one year.
For more information on (T-11-002), go to www.samhsa.gov/grants/2011/ti_11_002.aspx or email Wilson Washington at Wilson.washington@samhsa.hhs.gov. For more details on (SM-11-012), go to www.samhsa.gov/grants/2011/sm_11_012.aspx or email Trina Dutta at Trina.Dutta@samhsa.hhs.gov.
