The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking applications under a $10 million funding opportunity to support substance use and HIV prevention services for racial and ethnic minority populations at high-risk for substance use disorders (SUDs) and HIV infection. The notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) from SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is titled Minority AIDS Initiative: The Substance Use and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Navigator Program for Racial/Ethnic Minorities.

The NOFO will support up to 34 programs with awards of up to $300,000 per year for up to five years in the 57 jurisdictions prioritized in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. At least two awards will be made to American Indian/Alaska Native tribes or tribal organizations pending sufficient application volume. Applications are due Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

Purpose and Scope

The program prioritizes services for men who have sex with men and men who have sex with men and women, as well as those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex persons who are not in stable housing and/or reside in communities with high rates of HIV, viral hepatitis, and/or sexually transmitted infections (STI).

Applicants may choose to serve youth (ages 13-17), young adults (ages 18-25), or older adults 25 years of age and older who are at risk for SUDs and HIV. Award recipients are expected to use a navigation approach, including the use of community health workers, neighborhood navigators, and/or peer support specialists, to provide:

1. Substance use and HIV evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions and strategies utilizing SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF).
2. Extensive outreach services to high-risk populations using social media and social marketing strategies.
3. HIV, viral hepatitis, and STI testing.
4. Referrals for persons with SUDs and HIV to appropriate providers of care and treatment services.
5. Education for providers on substance use and HIV care and treatment services as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

This funding announcement supports the implementation of several of SAMHSA’s action items in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy’s Federal Implementation Plan.

Learn more and access the full application package on SAMHSA’s page for the Minority AIDS Initiative: The Substance Use and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Navigator Program for Racial/Ethnic Minorities NOFO.