Funding Opportunity: Statewide Consumer Network Grant

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The purpose of this program is to enhance statewide consumer run organizations to promote service system capacity and infrastructure development to be consumer-centered and targeted toward recovery and resiliency, and consumer-driven by promoting the use of consumers as agents of transformation. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, this program seeks to address the needs of underserved and under-represented consumers; of consumers with histories of trauma, veterans, or those who have been involved in the criminal justice system; and/or to promote activities related to partnership development, coalition building, legacy planning, and economic empowerment as part of the recovery process for consumers. The Statewide Consumer Network Grants program builds on the work of the Federal Community Support Program (CSP). The Center for Mental Health Services has supported the development of accessible, responsive mental health treatment, rehabilitation, and supportive services for people with a serious mental illness through CSP. The mission of CSP is to promote the development of systems of care which helps adults with serious mental illness recover, live independently and productively in the community, and avoid inappropriate use of inpatient services.

Eligible Applicants:
Eligible applicants are domestic public and private nonprofit entities, tribal and urban Indian organizations, and community- and faith-based organizations that meet the following eligibility criteria may apply. The statutory authority for this program prohibits grants to for-profit agencies.
* An applicant organization shall not be a current recipient of a SAMHSA Statewide Consumer Network Grant funds.
* An applicant organization must be controlled and managed by mental health consumers (see Appendix H - Glossary);
* An applicant organization must be dedicated to the improvement of mental health services Statewide;
* An applicant organization must have a Board of Directors comprised of more than 50 percent consumers; and
* An applicant must complete the Certificate of Eligibility (see Appendix I of this document) indicating that the applicant meets all eligibility requirements.
Applicants must also provide necessary supportive documentation specified in the Certificate. SAMHSA is limiting eligibility to consumer-controlled organizations because the goals of this grant program are to strengthen the capacity of consumers to act as agents of transformation in influencing the type and amount of services and supports provided to individuals with a serious mental illness and to ensure that their mental health care is consumer driven. The statutory authority for this program prohibits grants to for-profit agencies. As this program currently funds Statewide Consumer Network Grants from 2007-2010, eligibility for this grant announcement is restricted to consumer-controlled non profit organizations that are not currently funded by the program.

Full Announcement