SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services Statewide Family Network Program Grant

Family-controlled organizations must meet the following requirements:

An applicant organization must be dedicated to and have the infrastructure to improve mental health services Statewide;
An applicant must complete the Certification of Eligibility (see Appendix J of the RFA) indicating that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements and include necessary supporting documentation.
In order to strengthen new networks and broaden the impact of this program throughout the nation, SAMHSA is limiting one award per State, Territory or Tribe.

Current Statewide Family Network grantees whose funding ends in FY 2013 are not eligible to apply under this funding announcement (see Appendix K of the RFA).

The Statewide Family Network Program builds on the work of SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services which helped to establish a child and family focus in programs serving children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances around the country. Today, nearly every State has active family organizations dedicated to promoting systems of care that are responsive to the needs of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families. Although significant progress has been made, further support will ensure self-sufficient, empowered networks that will effectively participate in State and local mental health services planning and health care reform activities related to improving community-based services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

SAMHSA has demonstrated that behavioral health is essential to health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental 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’s health. To continue to improve the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services, SAMHSA has identified eight Strategic Initiatives to focus the Agency’s work on improving lives and capitalizing on emerging opportunities. The Statewide Family Network program closely aligns with SAMHSA’s Recovery Support Strategic Initiative. As part of the Strategic Initiative, last fiscal year SAMHSA funded the Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS-TACS) to promote the widespread adoption of recovery concepts and practices throughout the United States. The BRSS-TACS will help facilitate the dissemination of information among consumer, family and youth about health care reform initiated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010.

The Statewide Family Network Program grants are authorized under 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.