Washington, DC—The District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is soliciting applications for start-up grants to support establishment of a Health Home benefit for eligible residents enrolled in the public mental health system who have or are at risk of developing chronic physical health care conditions.  The purpose of this funding is to provide infrastructure development assistance for community based mental health providers who are certified as Core Service Agencies by the Department of Behavioral Health.  The funding is intended to support the initial expense of hiring Health Home staff.  A successful applicant will be expected to hire, at minimum, a Health Home Director, a Nurse Care Manager and a Primary Care Liaison for at least one Health Home Team by November 15, 2015. 

The Notice of Funding Availability can be found at http://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Gateway/NoticeHome.aspx?noticeid=5566750

The Request for Funding Applications (RFA) will be released July 31, 2015. The deadline for submitting an application for funding is August 21, 2015 at 4:45 p.m. ET.  Once released, the RFA will be posted at www.dbh.gov under Opportunities, and www.opgs.dc.gov under the District Grants Clearinghouse. The RFA also will be sent directly to all DBH certified Core Service Agencies by confirmed e-mail or confirmed fax.  A copy of the RFA may be obtained from the DBH Adult Services office located at 64 New York Avenue, NE, 3^rd floor, Washington, DC 20002, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., starting July 31, 2015.

To be eligible, an applicant must:

1. Be a DBH-certified Core Service Agency at the time this Notification of Funding Availability (NOFA) is published and have completed the DBH Health Home Readiness Assessment prior to submitting an application;
2. Agree to hire at least one Health Home Director, Nurse Care Manager and Primary Care Liaison by November 15, 2015;  
3. Agree to participate in DBH-mandated Health Home training scheduled to begin on or about November 15, 2015;
4. Enter into a Grant Agreement with DBH and comply with Agreement requirements and conditions including, but not limited to, timetables for hiring Health Home staff; establishment of Health Home Teams; participation in required training, and commitment to begin Health Home services on January 1, 2016, and
5. Be awarded a Human Care Agreement for Health Home services prior to the grant award.  

The deadline for submitting an application is August 21, 2015 at 4:45 p.m. ET, to Oscar Morgan, Director of Adult Services, by email to [email protected], or by delivery to 64 New Avenue NE, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20002.  A late or incomplete application will not be considered.  

A pre-application conference will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 5, 2015, at the Department of Behavioral Health, in Room 242, at 64 New York Avenue, NE.  For more information, please contact Oscar Morgan at [email protected].

The grant period is one year from the date of award. Grant recipients will be expected to begin Health Home start-up activities by November 15, 2015.

Approximately $465,190.00 is available to award ten grants, not to exceed $46,519 per grant, under the Health Home Initiative for individuals with serious mental illness who have or are at risk of developing chronic physical health care conditions. Grants will be awarded with local funds appropriated to the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health.