The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2018 Minority AIDS Initiative: Service Integration grant program. The purpose of this program is to integrate evidence-based, culturally competent mental and substance use disorder treatment with HIV primary care and prevention services. The population of focus is individuals with a serious mental illness (SMI) or co-occurring disorder (COD) living with or at risk for HIV and/or hepatitis in at-risk populations, including racial and ethnic minority communities. (Co-occurring disorder refers to the presence of both a mental health disorder and substance use disorder.) SAMHSA expects that this program will reduce the incidence of HIV and improve overall health outcomes for individuals with SMI or COD.

Required activities of this direct services grant include: 

• Providing HIV and hepatitis prevention services (e.g., screening, risk assessment, prevention counseling, rapid testing, PrEP, hepatitis vaccination) within a behavioral health care setting; 
• Providing case management services to coordinate all aspects of care, including behavioral health, primary care health, and HIV and hepatitis treatment, and other supportive services (e.g., housing, benefits, employment); and 
• Implementing outreach strategies to inform individuals of available behavioral health services, and HIV and hepatitis primary care and prevention services. 

Proposed services and practices must be evidence-based and appropriate for the population(s) of focus. 

Up to 10 awards will be made. Projects can be up to four years in duration and the maximum annual award amount is $485,000.

Applications are due March 5, 2018. For more information, read SAMHSA’s grant announcement.