Application Information Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)
Request for Applications (RFA)
Statewide Consumer Network Grant
(Initial Announcement)
The RFA Statewide Consumer Networks SM-10-004 and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that have been posted include language regarding eligibility that may need clarification. Statewide Consumer Network grantees funded in 2007 or before eligible to apply. New Statewide Consumer Network grantees funded in 2009 are not eligible to apply.
Request for Applications (RFA) No. SM-10-004
Posting on Grants.gov: September 25, 2009
Original Receipt date: November 25, 2009
Announcement Type: Initial
Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No..: 93.243
Key Dates:
Application Deadline |
Applications are due by November 25, 2009 |
Intergovernmental Review |
Applicants must comply with E.O. 12372 if their State(s) participates. Review process recommendations from the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) are due no later than 60 days after application deadline. |
Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS) / Single State Agency Coordination |
Applicants must send the PHSIS to appropriate State and local health agencies by application deadline. Comments from Single State Agency are due no later than 60 days after application deadline. |
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2010 Statewide Consumer Network grants. The purpose of this program is to enhance statewide consumer run organizations to promote service system capacity and infrastructure development to be consumer-centered and targeted toward recovery and resiliency, and consumer-driven by promoting the use of consumers as agents of transformation. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, this program seeks to address the needs of underserved and under-represented consumers; of consumers with histories of trauma, veterans, or those who have been involved in the criminal justice system; and/or to promote activities related to partnership development, coalition building, legacy planning, and economic empowerment as part of the recovery process for consumers.
The Statewide Consumer Network Grants program builds on the work of the Federal Community Support Program (CSP). The Center for Mental Health Services has supported the development of accessible, responsive mental health treatment, rehabilitation, and supportive services for people with a serious mental illness through CSP.
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The mission of CSP is to promote the development of systems of care which helps adults with serious mental illness recover, live independently and productively in the community, and avoid inappropriate use of inpatient services. CSP helped to establish consumer and family organizations throughout the country. Today, nearly every State has an active consumer organization dedicated to promoting systems of care that are responsive to the needs of people with a serious mental illness. By providing appropriate training and tools in the development of individualized mental health plans, understanding the need and use of accountability and evaluation measures, and many other self-help, self-management skills, consumers can provide the guidance and foresight into changing the present system to a recovery-oriented system for all peers and, thereby, ensuring the implementation of the goals of the Final Report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.
The Statewide Consumer Network Grant is one of SAMHSA’s infrastructure grant programs. SAMHSA’s Infrastructure Grants support an array of activities to help the grantee build a solid foundation for delivering and sustaining effective mental health services. SAMHSA recognizes that each applicant will start from a unique point in developing infrastructure and will serve populations/communities with specific needs. Awardees may pursue diverse strategies and methods to achieve their infrastructure development and capacity expansion goals. Successful applicants will provide a coherent and detailed conceptual “roadmap” of the process by which they have assessed or intend to assess service system needs and plan/implement infrastructure development strategies that meet those needs. The plan put forward in the grant application must show the linkages among needs, the proposed infrastructure development strategy, and increased system capacity that will enhance and sustain effective programs and services.
As of February 2009, approximately 1.89 million men and women have been deployed to serve in support of overseas contingency operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Individuals returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are at increased risk for suffering post-traumatic stress and other related disorders. Experts estimate that up to one-third of returning veterans will need mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and related services. In addition, the family members of returning veterans have an increased need for related support services. To address these concerns, SAMHSA strongly encourages all applicants to consider the unique needs of returning veterans and their families in developing their proposed project.
Statewide Consumer Network grants are authorized under Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2010 focus area 18 (Mental Health and Mental Disorders).
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are domestic public and private nonprofit entities, tribal and urban Indian organizations, and community- and faith-based organizations that meet the following eligibility criteria may apply. The statutory authority for this program prohibits grants to for-profit agencies.
- An applicant organization shall not be a current recipient of a SAMHSA Statewide Consumer Network Grant funds.
- An applicant organization must be controlled and managed by mental health consumers (see Appendix H - Glossary);
- An applicant organization must be dedicated to the improvement of mental health services Statewide;
- An applicant organization must have a Board of Directors comprised of more than 50 percent consumers; and
- An applicant must complete the Certificate of Eligibility (see Appendix I of this document) indicating that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements. Applicants must also provide necessary supportive documentation specified in the Certificate.
SAMHSA is limiting eligibility to consumer-controlled organizations because the goals of this grant program are to strengthen the capacity of consumers to act as agents of transformation in influencing the type and amount of services and supports provided to individuals with a serious mental illness and to ensure that their mental health care is consumer driven.
The statutory authority for this program prohibits grants to for-profit agencies.
As this program currently funds Statewide Consumer Network Grants from 2007-2010, eligibility for this grant announcement is restricted to consumer-controlled non profit organizations that are not currently funded by the program.
Award Information
Funding Mechanism: | Grant |
Anticipated Total Available Funding: | $1.3 million |
Anticipated Number of Awards: | 19 |
Anticipated Award Amount: | Up to $70,000 per year in total costs |
Length of Project Period: | 3 years |
Proposed budgets cannot exceed $70,000 in total costs (direct and indirect) in any year of the proposed project. Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds, grantee progress in meeting project goals and objectives, timely submission of required data and reports, and compliance with all terms and conditions of award.
This program is being announced prior to the appropriation for FY 2010 for SAMHSA’s programs, with funding estimates based on the President’s budget request for FY 2010. Applications are invited based on the assumption that sufficient funds will be appropriated for FY 2010 to permit funding of a reasonable number of applications solicited. All applicants are reminded, however, that we cannot guarantee that sufficient funds will be appropriated to permit SAMHSA to fund any applications.
Contact Information
For questions on program issues, contact:
Mary Blake
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
1 Choke Cherry Road
Room 6-1020
Rockville, Maryland 20857
(240) 276-1747
Mary.blake@samhsa.hhs.gov
Wanda Finch
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
1 Choke Cherry Road
Room 6-1012
Rockville, Maryland 20857
(240) 276-1916
wanda.finch@samhsa.hhs.gov
For questions on grants management issues, contact:
Gwendolyn Simpson
Office of Program Services, Division of Grants Management
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
1 Choke Cherry Road
Room 7-1085
Rockville, Maryland 20857
(240) 276-1408
gwendolyn.simpson@samhsa.hhs.gov
Documents needed to complete a grant application:
1. REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)
YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE RFA IN PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION.
- Download Complete RFA Announcement SM-10-004 in PDF format (file size 206 kbytes)
- Download Complete RFA Announcement SM-10-004 in MS Word format (file size 375 kbytes)
- RFA Frequently Asked Questions in PDF format (file size 32 kybes)
- RFA Frequently Asked Questions in MS Word format (file size 85 kybes)
- Pre-application TA telephone conference call in PDF format (file size 7 kybes)
- Pre-application TA telephone conference call in MS Word (file size 22 kybes)
2. GRANT APPLICATION KIT
YOU MUST USE THE FORMS IN THE APPLICATION KIT TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION.
Additional Materials
For further information on the forms and the application process, see Useful Information for Applicants
Additional materials available on this website include:
- Technical Assistance and Training for SAMHSA Grant Applicants
- Grants Management at SAMHSA: Useful Information for Grantees
Last updated: 10/05/2009