SAMHSA: Healthy Transitions Grant Program for Youth and Young Adults with Serious Mental Disorders

The Substance Abuse andMental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental HealthServices (CMHS), is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2019 HealthyTransitions: Improving Life Trajectories for Youth and Young Adults With  Serious Mental Disorders Program grants(Short Title: Healthy Transitions). Thepurpose of this programis toimprove access to treatment and support services for youth and young adults,ages 16-25, who have a serious emotional disturbance (SED) or a serious mentalillness (SMI), hereafter referred to as serious mental disorders. It is expected that this program will improveemotional and behavioral health functioning so that this population of youthand young adults can maximize their potential to assume adult roles andresponsibilities and lead full and productive lives.

Youthand young adults with SMI or SED between the ages of 16-25, including thosewith intellectual developmental disabilities, may not be working, in school, orin vocational and higher education programs. Some face the additional challenge of experiencing homelessness, orbeing in contact with the juvenile or criminal justice system, therebyincreasing the likelihood of admissions to hospitals, mental health, and/orcorrectional facilities.  Unfortunately,these same youth are among the least likely to seek help and may “fall throughthe cracks” and not receive the services and supports they need to becomeproductive and healthy adults. It isimperative that appropriate outreach and engagement processes are developed andimplemented to create access to effective behavioral health interventions andsupports.

Theoverall goal of Healthy Transitions will be to provide developmentallyappropriate, culturally and linguistically competent services and supports toaddress serious mental disorders among youth 16 – 25years of age. This will be accomplishedby increasing awareness, screening and detection, outreach and engagement,referrals to treatment, coordination of care, and evidence-informed treatment
. 

Tribal organization means the recognized body of any AI/AN tribe; any legally established organization of AI/ANs 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 AI/ANs in all phases of its activities. Consortia of tribes or tribal organizations are eligible to apply, but each participating entity must indicate its approval. A single tribe in the consortium must be the legal applicant, the recipient of the award, and the entity legally responsible for satisfying the grant requirements.

Eligibility is limited because SAMHSA believes that only state/tribal/territorial agencies overseeing the delivery of mental health services to youth and young adults are in the unique position to leverage community agencies that can support the wide scale adoption of Healthy Transitions programs and services. The state/tribal agency has the capacity, knowledge, and infrastructure to assist communities with successful implementation of effective practices and strategies at the community level while also sharing and implementing effective and successful statewide strategies. Through the building of interconnected partnerships, Healthy Transitions can promote systems integration and strengthen the ability of states/tribes and communities to integrate prevention, intervention, and treatment services for youth and young adults with serious mental disorders.

Recipients who received funding under SM-18-010 Healthy Transitions are not eligible to apply for funding under this FOA. Recipients who received funding under SM-14-017 Now is the Time: Healthy Transitions are eligible to apply for funding under this FOA but must select two different communities with whom to partner with.

The Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health
Services (CMHS), is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2019 Healthy
Transitions: Improving Life Trajectories for Youth and Young Adults With  Serious Mental Disorders Program grants
(Short Title: Healthy Transitions). The
purpose of this program
is to
improve access to treatment and support services for youth and young adults,
ages 16-25, who have a serious emotional disturbance (SED) or a serious mental
illness (SMI), hereafter referred to as serious mental disorders. It is expected that this program will improve
emotional and behavioral health functioning so that this population of youth
and young adults can maximize their potential to assume adult roles and
responsibilities and lead full and productive lives.

Youth
and young adults with SMI or SED between the ages of 16-25, including those
with intellectual developmental disabilities, may not be working, in school, or
in vocational and higher education programs. 
Some face the additional challenge of experiencing homelessness, or
being in contact with the juvenile or criminal justice system, thereby
increasing the likelihood of admissions to hospitals, mental health, and/or
correctional facilities.  Unfortunately,
these same youth are among the least likely to seek help and may “fall through
the cracks” and not receive the services and supports they need to become
productive and healthy adults. It is
imperative that appropriate outreach and engagement processes are developed and
implemented to create access to effective behavioral health interventions and
supports.

The
overall goal of Healthy Transitions will be to provide developmentally
appropriate, culturally and linguistically competent services and supports to
address serious mental disorders among youth 16 – 25
years of age. This will be accomplished
by increasing awareness, screening and detection, outreach and engagement,
referrals to treatment, coordination of care, and evidence-informed treatment.