Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Centers - Northern Border Region

For programmatic or technical questions:
Sarah O'Donnell
240.485.8245
sodonnell@hrsa.gov

For grants management or budget questions:
Kimberly Dews
301.443.0655
kdews@hrsa.gov

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy will provide funding for a Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Center (RBHWC) to provide career and workforce training activities in New York to address behavioral health needs, particularly substance use disorders. RBHWCs are part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, an initiative with the goal of reducing morbidity and mortality resulting from substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder, in high risk rural communities.

Program objectives include:

• Form and sustain a multi-sectoral strategic network of key behavioral health and community services partners from across the target rural service area, to support the development and implementation of training and mentorship programs as well as recruitment of participants
• Assess resources, needs, and opportunities in the target rural service area as they relate to the program goal to inform future activities of the program, including an initial assessment in year 1 and ongoing updates in years 2-3
• In collaboration with the strategic network, develop and implement training and mentorship programs that address identified gaps in the skills and capacity of rural healthcare providers, paraprofessionals, non-clinical staff, and community members to care for individuals with behavioral health needs
• In collaboration with the strategic network, develop and implement training and mentorship programs that address health equity and stigma as it relates to behavioral health
• Ensure that trainings and mentorship programs are available, accessible, and well-known throughout the entire target rural service area

Eligible applicants include all domestic public or private, nonprofit or for-profit entities that are physically located in New York.

Award ceiling: $625,000 for the entire project period
Project period: 3 years
Estimated number of awards: 1

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.