OpportunityTitle: Statewide Consumer Network Program
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: SAMHSA is limiting eligibility for this program to mental health consumer-controlled organizations that are domestic public and private nonprofit entities, tribal and urban indian organizations, and/or community- and faith-based organizations.  A primary goal of the program is to strengthen the capacity of consumers to act as agents of transformation in influencing the type and amount of services, so they must be an integral part of an organization that supports individuals with a serious mental illness or who have received public mental health services, and ensures that their mental health care is consumer-driven with access to recovery support services.  Therefore, only organizations controlled and managed by mental health consumers are eligible to apply.  Consumer-controlled organizations must meet the following requirements:   &#8226; An applicant organization must complete the Certificate of Eligibility (see Appendix III of the FOA) indicating that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements.    In order to strengthen and expand the impact of this program across the nation and ensure broad geographic distribution, SAMHSA will make only one award per state, territory, or tribe and is limiting eligibility to applicants in states, territories, and tribes that do not have a currently funded Statewide Consumer Network grant.  Tribes, regardless of location, are eligible to apply providing they do not have a currently funded grant.  See Appendix IV of the FOA for a listing of states, territories, and tribes with a currently funded Statewide Consumer Network grant.  Organizations located in these jurisdictions are not eligible to apply.  Tribal organization means the recognized body of any American Indian/Alaska Native tribe; any legally established organization of American Indians/Alaska Natives which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of American Indians/Alaska Natives in all phases of its activities.  Consortia of tribes or tribal organizations are eligible to apply, but each participating entity must indicate its approval.
Description: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services, is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Statewide Consumer Network (SCN) grants. The purpose of this program is to improve mental health services for people with serious mental illness. In doing so, the program seeks to enhance statewide mental health consumer-run and &#8211;controlled organizations to promote service system capacity and infrastructure that is consumer-driven, recovery-focused, trauma-informed, culturally relevant, holistic, and resiliency-oriented. Program goals are to: (1) enhance consumer participation, voice, leadership, and empowerment statewide to effect systems change and improve the quality of mental health services; (2) facilitate access to evidence-based and promising practices; (3) enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities within mental health service and/or peer support providers related to recovery and trauma-informed approaches; (4) emphasize and build consumer leadership within the organizations and in the community, as well as through partnerships and collaboration with allied stakeholders; and (5) promote activities related to the following: partnership development with families, young adults and peers in addiction recovery; peer support values and standards; and trauma-informed peer support. Toward that end, the program promotes activities such as training, leadership, and skills development; trauma-informed and gender responsive peer support and peer certification standards; consumer involvement in the development and delivery of evidence-based and promising practices; peer participation in crisis planning, early intervention and crisis response; diversity and cultural responsiveness; partnership development, and integrated care and wellness. It also seeks to address the needs of underserved and under-represented consumers, including those from ethnic, racial, or cultural minority groups; sexual orientation and gender minority individuals; those with histories of chronic homelessness or involvement with the criminal justice system; and those with co-occurring mental health, trauma-related, and/or substance use disorders. The SCN program seeks to address behavioral health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities by encouraging the implementation of strategies to decrease the differences in access, service use, and outcomes among the racial and ethnic minority populations served. (See PART II: Appendix F &#8211; Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities.) SAMHSA has demonstrated that behavioral health is essential to health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental health and substance use disorders. Behavioral health services improve health status and reduce health care and other costs to society. Continued improvement in the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services provides a cost-effective opportunity to advance and protect the nation&#8217;s health. To continue to improve the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services, SAMHSA has identified six Strategic Initiatives to focus the agency&#8217;s work to improve lives and capitalize on emerging opportunities. The SCN program closely aligns with the Recovery Support and Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiatives. SCN grants are authorized under Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic Area HP 2020-MHMD.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: FOACMHS@samhsa.hhs.gov
GrantorContactText: Gwendolyn Simpson &lt;br/&gt;Office of Financial Resources, Division of Grants Management &lt;br/&gt;Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration &lt;br/&gt;1 Choke Cherry Road &lt;br/&gt;Room 7-1091 &lt;br/&gt;Rockville, Maryland 20857 &lt;br/&gt;(240) 276-1408