Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
April 22, 2004, Vol. 04-49

Grants for National Technical Assistance Centers on Consumer/Peer-Run Programs

SUMMARY: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), is accepting applications for Fiscal Year 2004 grants to assist in the transformation of the mental health system by providing consumers with necessary skills to foster consumer/peer-run programs. These programs maximize consumer self-determination and recovery and assist people with severe mental illness to decrease their dependence on expensive social services and avoid psychiatric hospitalization.

It is expected that .75 million will be available to fund up to five National Technical Assistance Centers on Consumer/Peer-Run Program awards in FY 2004, three national consumer self-help technical assistance centers and two national consumer-supporter self-help technical assistance centers. Annual awards are expected to be up to $350,000 per year in total costs (direct and indirect). Applicants may request a project period of up to three years.

An additional $133,000 will be competitively awarded each year to one of the three successful national consumer technical assistance centers to facilitate the Alternatives Conference.

DATES: Applications are due on June 25, 2004.

TO APPLY: Applications, SM 04-011 are available by calling SAMHSA's clearinghouse at 1-800-789-2647, and by downloading from the SAMHSA web site at www.samhsa.gov and go to "grant opportunities."

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are domestic, private, nonprofit entities, including faith-based organizations, which meet the criteria for consumer or consumer-supporter organizations found in Section I-2.7 Definitions (of the full application package) and the following requirements:

(1) Applicant organizations must have been in operation for a minimum of one year.

(2) An applicant must complete a Certification of Consumer and Consumer-Supporter Organization Eligibility (See Appendix B of the full application package), indicating that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements. Applicants must complete and sign a Certification of Eligibility and provide necessary supportive documentation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For questions on program issues contact: CMHS Statewide Consumer Network Grants, Risa S. Fox, M.S., L.C.S.W.;Public Health Advisor; Division of Service Systems Improvement, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration; HHS Room 6-1013, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20850; 240-276-1907;
Fax: (240) 276-1970
RISA.FOX@samhsa.hhs.gov

For questions on grants management issues contact: Gwendolyn Simpson, SAMHSA/Division of Grants Management, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1085;
Rockville, MD 20850; 240-276-1408; Fax: 240-276-1410
e.gwendolyn.simpson@samhsa.hhs.gov

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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.