Opportunity Information: Apply for SM 18 017
The Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program, known as Native Connections (Funding Opportunity Number SM 18 017), is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It sits within SAMHSA's Centers for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), reflecting a combined focus on mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and substance use prevention for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
At its core, Native Connections is designed to improve behavioral health outcomes for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and young adults up to age 24. The program aims to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance use, lessen the ongoing impact of trauma, and strengthen overall mental health and wellness. A major emphasis is placed on approaches that are culturally responsive and grounded in the community, recognizing that effective prevention and healing strategies in AI/AN settings are often tied to culture, identity, tradition, and locally led solutions.
Another central goal of the opportunity is to help AI/AN communities build and strengthen coordinated systems of support for youth, especially during the transition into adulthood. The grant encourages communities to facilitate collaboration across agencies and partners so that youth are not forced to navigate disconnected services. In practice, this means supporting joint planning and coordination among entities that may include tribal programs, schools, health and behavioral health providers, social services, juvenile justice, and other community-based supports. The intent is to reduce fragmentation, close service gaps, and create more consistent pathways to prevention, early intervention, and recovery supports.
The funding opportunity defines "community or communities" broadly to reflect the different ways AI/AN people are organized and served. For the purposes of this announcement, a community can mean a tribe or village, a tribal organization, a consortium of tribes or tribal organizations, or an urban Indian community. This framing is meant to ensure the program can support both reservation and non-reservation contexts, including urban settings where AI/AN youth may access services through urban Indian organizations and networks.
From a funding standpoint, awards are grants with an expected maximum (award ceiling) of $250,000, and SAMHSA anticipated making about 30 awards under this FY 2018 announcement. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.243, within the health funding activity category. The application window for this specific posting opened on April 23, 2018, with an original closing date of June 22, 2018. Eligibility is indicated as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, which typically signals that only specific types of tribal or tribal-serving entities qualify, consistent with the program's AI/AN focus.
Overall, Native Connections is best understood as a community-driven prevention and early intervention investment. It targets suicide and substance use risks among AI/AN youth while also addressing trauma and broader mental health needs, and it does so by prioritizing culturally grounded models and cross-system coordination to support young people as they move into adulthood.Apply for SM 18 017
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program (Short Title: Native Connections)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.243.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 23, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Native Connections (Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program) FAQ
What is the Native Connections grant program?
Native Connections is the Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Number SM 18 017). It is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Which SAMHSA components are involved in this opportunity?
The opportunity sits within SAMHSA's Centers for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), reflecting a combined focus on mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and substance use prevention.
Who is the primary population this program is designed to serve?
The program is designed to improve behavioral health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and young adults up to age 24.
What are the main goals of Native Connections?
The main goals are to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance use among AI/AN youth and young adults, lessen the ongoing impact of trauma, and strengthen overall mental health and wellness.
Is the program focused on prevention, treatment, or both?
Based on the description provided, Native Connections is best understood as a community-driven prevention and early intervention investment, with emphasis on suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and strengthening supports that help youth before issues escalate.
What does "culturally responsive" mean in the context of this grant?
The program places major emphasis on approaches that are culturally responsive and grounded in the community. This reflects the view that effective prevention and healing strategies in AI/AN settings are often tied to culture, identity, tradition, and locally led solutions.
How does the grant address trauma?
The opportunity explicitly includes a goal to lessen the ongoing impact of trauma as part of improving behavioral health and wellness for AI/AN youth and young adults.
What does the grant mean by building a "coordinated system of support" for youth?
A central goal is to help AI/AN communities build and strengthen coordinated systems of support, especially for youth transitioning into adulthood. The intent is to reduce fragmentation, close service gaps, and create more consistent pathways to prevention, early intervention, and recovery supports.
Why is youth transition into adulthood highlighted?
The grant emphasizes coordination during the transition into adulthood to help ensure young people are not forced to navigate disconnected services and supports during a critical life stage.
What kinds of partners are encouraged to collaborate under this program?
The program encourages collaboration across agencies and partners that may include tribal programs, schools, health and behavioral health providers, social services, juvenile justice, and other community-based supports.
What types of communities can be served under this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity defines "community or communities" broadly. For this announcement, a community can mean a tribe or village, a tribal organization, a consortium of tribes or tribal organizations, or an urban Indian community.
Does the program support urban Indian communities as well as reservation-based communities?
Yes. The broad definition of "community" is meant to ensure the program can support both reservation and non-reservation contexts, including urban settings where AI/AN youth may access services through urban Indian organizations and networks.
What is the maximum award amount for this opportunity?
The expected maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $250,000.
How many awards did SAMHSA anticipate making under this announcement?
SAMHSA anticipated making about 30 awards under this FY 2018 announcement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.243.
What federal agency is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through SAMHSA.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this posting?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SM 18 017.
When did the application window open and close for this specific posting?
The application window for this posting opened on April 23, 2018, and the original closing date was June 22, 2018.
What does it mean that this is a "discretionary" federal grant?
It is described as a discretionary federal grant, meaning funding is awarded through a competitive or decision-based process rather than being automatically provided by formula.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is indicated as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. In practice, this typically signals that only specific types of tribal or tribal-serving entities qualify, consistent with the program's AI/AN focus.
Does the opportunity specify exactly which entities qualify as eligible applicants?
Not in the information provided here. The text indicates that additional eligibility details are referenced in the full announcement.
What overall approach does Native Connections prioritize?
It prioritizes culturally grounded models and cross-system coordination to support AI/AN young people, focusing on suicide and substance use risks while also addressing trauma and broader mental health needs.
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