SAMHSA/CMHS Grant: Fostering Community Resilience and Trauma Recovery After Civil Unrest

For the purposes of this FOA, civil unrest is defined as demonstrations of mass protest and mobilization, civil disobedience, community harm, and disruption through violence often connected with law enforcement issues.

The purpose of the ReCAST Program is to assist high-risk youth and families and promote resilience and equity in communities that have recently faced civil unrest through implementation of evidence-based, violence prevention and community youth engagement programs as well as linkages to trauma-informed behavioral health services. The goal of the ReCAST program is for local community entities to work together in ways that lead to improved behavioral health, empowered community residents, and reductions in trauma and sustained community change.

The FY 2016 Appropriations included language that SAMHSA should prioritize funding grants from communities that have formed partnerships between key stakeholders including state and local governments (including multiple cities and counties if impacted); public or private universities and colleges; and non-profit community and faith- based organizations. Therefore, SAMHSA is limiting eligibility to local municipalities (e.g., counties, cities, and local governments) in partnership with community-based organizations that have faced civil unrest within the past 24 months from the posting of the FOA. SAMHSA believes that local municipalities are in the best position to implement a coordinated, public health approach that leads to improved behavioral health and sustained community change and to develop partnerships within the community that result in high-risk youth and their families having equitable access to resources and services.

For the purposes of this FOA, civil unrest is defined as demonstrations of mass protest and mobilization, community harm, and disruption through violence often connected

with law enforcement issues. Communities that have experienced civil unrest share similar characteristics :

• Barriers to access and lack of social services, health care, legal and political representation, housing, employment, and education;

• Current and historic strains in community and public sector relationships, e.g., law enforcement, school, health, and/or housing and community relationships; and

• Racial/ethnic minority and marginalized populations with experiences of poverty and inequality.

The ReCAST Program closely aligns with SAMHSA’s Recovery Support and Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiatives. More information on these Initiatives is available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/strategic-initiatives. In addition, this 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.

ReCAST Program 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.