Cooperative Agreements for Tribal Behavioral Health

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) are accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Cooperative Agreements for Tribal Behavioral Health (Short Title: Native Connections). The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance abuse, reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental health among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) young people up to and including age 24. The goals of this program fall within two of SAMHSA’s Strategic Initiatives: Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, and Trauma and Justice. This program will help grantees reduce the impact of mental and substance use disorders, and will foster culturally responsive models to reduce and respond to the impact of trauma on AI/AN communities through a public health approach. In addition, this grant will allow AI/AN communities to support youth and young adults as they transition into adulthood by facilitating collaboration among agencies. Native Connections 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 – Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities.) Native Connections grants are authorized under 520A and 516 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic Area HP 2020-MHMD and Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA.