HRSA-21-086.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Bureau of Health Workforce Division of Nursing and Public Health

Behavioral Health Workforce Development Technical Assistance and Evaluation

(BHWD TAE) Program

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-21-086 Funding Opportunity Type(s): New

Assistance Listings (CFDA) Number: 93.732

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Fiscal Year 2021

Application Due Date: May 3, 2021

Ensure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and passwords are current immediately!

HRSA will not approve deadline extensions for lack of registration.

Registration in all systems, including SAM.gov and Grants.gov, may take up to 1 month to complete.

Issuance Date: March 2, 2021

Megan Lincoln, MSW Project Officer, Behavioral and Public Health Branch Division of Nursing and Public Health Email: BHWDTAE@hrsa.gov

Authority: 42 U.S.C. §§ 294e, 294e-1, 295o–2 (Sections 755, 756, 799A of the Public Health Service Act) mailto:mlincoln@hrsa.gov

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Behavioral Health Workforce Development Technical Assistance and Evaluation (BHWD TAE) Program.

The purpose of the program is to develop and provide tailored technical assistance (TA) to grant current and future grant recipients in these HRSA-funded programs:

• Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training –Professionals (BHWET Pro);

• Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program – Paraprofessional (BHWET Para);

• Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Professionals (OWEP Pro);

• Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Paraprofessionals (OWEP Para);

• and the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program.1

Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), an eligible applicant may submit a maximum of one application.

Funding Opportunity Title: Behavioral Health Workforce

Development Technical Assistance and Evaluation (BHWD TAE)

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-21-086 Due Date for Applications: May 3, 2021 Anticipated Total Annual Available FY 2021 Funding:

$2,500,000

Estimated Number and Type of Award(s): Up to one cooperative agreement Estimated Award Amount: Up to $2,500,000 per year subject to the availability of appropriated funds Cost Sharing/Match Required: No Period of Performance: September 1, 2021 through

August 30, 2025 (4 years)

1 For the purpose of this NOFO, the term “behavioral health workforce development programs” refers specifically to the current active and future awarded HRSA-funded Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET), Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program – Paraprofessional, the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Professionals (OWEP Pro), the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Paraprofessionals (OWEP Para), the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Programs, and any other future HRSA-funded programs authorized by section 756 of the Public Health Service Act from Fiscal Year 2020 to Fiscal Year 2024.

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Eligible Applicants: Health professions schools, academic health centers, State or local governments, or other public or private nonprofit entities that provide services and training to health professions.

See Section III.1 of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for complete eligibility information.

Application Guide

You (the applicant organization/agency) are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide, available online at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf, except where instructed in this NOFO to do otherwise.

Technical Assistance

HRSA will hold a pre-application TA webinar(s) for applicants seeking funding through this opportunity. The webinar(s) will provide an overview of pertinent information in the NOFO and an opportunity for applicants to ask questions. Visit the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities website at https://bhw.hrsa.gov/fundingopportunities/default.aspx to learn more about the resources available for this funding opportunity.

http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf https://bhw.hrsa.gov/fundingopportunities/default.aspx

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Table of Contents

I. PROGRAM FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. PURPOSE

2. BACKGROUND

II. AWARD INFORMATION

1. TYPE OF APPLICATION AND AWARD

2. SUMMARY OF FUNDING

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2. COST SHARING/MATCHING

3. OTHER

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

i. Project Abstract

ii. Project Narrative

iii. Budget

iv. Budget Justification Narrative

v. Attachments

3. DUN AND BRADSTREET DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER TRANSITION

TO THE UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

4. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

3. ASSESSMENT OF RISK

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. AWARD NOTICES

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

3. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

HRSA-21-086 1

I. Program Funding Opportunity Description

1. Purpose

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Behavioral Health Workforce Development Technical Assistance and Evaluation (BHWD TAE) Program.

Program Purpose

The purpose of the program is to develop and provide tailored technical assistance2 (TA) to the current and future grant recipient in these HRSA-funded programs:

• Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training --Professionals (BHWET Pro);

• Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program – Paraprofessional (BHWET Para);

• Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Professionals (OWEP Pro);

• Opioid Workforce Expansion Program - Paraprofessionals (OWEP Para);

• Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Programs;

• and any other future HRSA-funded programs authorized by section 756 of the

Public Health Service Act from Fiscal Year 2021 to Fiscal Year 2024.

Program Goals

1) Create community and academic partnerships to develop a behavioral health workforce that maximizes collaborative learning.

2) Build an educational and interconnected behavioral and public health infrastructure prepared to respond and provide treatment to those impacted by opioid use disorders (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD).

Program Objectives

1) Improve behavioral health teaching through the provision of TA to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development (BHWD) programs.

2) Continually evaluate the TA provided through this program. The program performance evaluation should monitor ongoing processes, and changes to processes towards reaching the goals of this TA program.

3) Create a learning collaborative among HRSA, academic institutions, community partners, experiential placement sites, and HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs to improve behavioral health teaching and develop a community of practice to inform and disseminate best practices and resources that promote the widespread enhancement of training in OUD/SUD prevention, treatment and recovery services.

4) Develop a compendium of the most current research and tools of treatment, prevention, and recovery practices for OUD/SUD to inform HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs.

2 For purposes of this NOFO, the term technical assistance is defined as sharing information and expertise, training, and consulting services.

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2. Background

This program is authorized by 42 U.S.C. §§ 294e, 294e–1, and 295o-2 (Sections 755, 756, and 799A of the Public Health Service Act).

HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs train behavioral health professionals and paraprofessionals in the provision of integrated, interprofessional, OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services, and create a well-trained behavioral health workforce pipeline committed to working in high need and high demand areas, and with rural and medically underserved communities.

The behavioral health workforce has a unique role in the prevention, treatment, and recovery of OUD/SUD. Behavioral health professionals and paraprofessionals working with these populations require specialized training in providing comprehensive patient care, assistance with medication assisted treatment compliance, and treatment options beyond traditional therapies.3 It is essential for the emerging behavioral health workforce to have the most updated knowledge, training, and research in data-driven prevention, treatment, and recovery practices. HRSA proposes to develop a health care workforce that maximizes collaborative learning though community and academic partnerships, and improves health outcomes by building educational, behavioral and public health infrastructure that responds to the opioid epidemic.

In 2019, an estimated 51.5 million adults (20.6% of the population), aged 18 or older, were diagnosed with a mental disorder in the United States.4 In 2019, approximately

20.4 million people aged 12 or older, were diagnosed with an SUD. Moreover, an estimated 9.5 million adults, aged 18 or older (3.8 percent of all adults), had both a mental disorder and SUD in the past year.5 Only half of the adults with co-occurring (mental and SUD) disorders in the past year received either mental health or substance use treatment.6 In 2019, there were over 71,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States according to CDC’s Vital Statistics Provisional Drug Overdose death counts.7

The effect is especially evident in rural areas of the US, where nonmedical prescription opioid misuse remains a growing public problem.8 In 2017 the rate of drug overdose deaths involving natural and semisynthetic opioids (e.g., oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and codeine) and psychostimulants (e.g., methamphetamine, amphetamine and methylphenidate) was higher in rural than in urban counties.9 Compounding these

3 SAMHSA. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). Available at: https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment 4 SAMHSA. NSDUHD data, September 2020. Available at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29394/NSDUHDetailedTabs2019/NSDUHDetTabsSect8pe2019.htm 5 SAMHSA. NSDUHD, September 2020.Available at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29394/NSDUHDetailedTabs2019/NSDUHDetTabsSect8pe2019 6 SAMHSA. Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2018. Available at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.htm#mhisud 7 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm#dashboard 8 CDC. Vital Statistics Rapid Release. November 2020 Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm#dashboard 9 Holly Hedegaard, M.D., Arialdi M. Miniño, M.P.H., and Margaret Warner, Ph.D.

Urban–rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, by Sex, Age, and Type of Drugs Involved, 2017. NCHS Data Brief. August 2019. 345. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db345-h.pdf https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29394/NSDUHDetailedTabs2019/NSDUHDetTabsSect8pe2019.htm https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29394/NSDUHDetailedTabs2019/NSDUHDetTabsSect8pe2019 https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.htm#topofpagehttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.htm https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.htm#topofpagehttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm#dashboard https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db345-h.pdf

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behavioral health and substance use issues is the fact that significant behavioral health disparities persist in underserved communities across the United States. These disparities are due to lack of access to health care, need for a diverse health care workforce, a lack of information, and the need for culturally and linguistically competent care and programs.10

With over 5,000 Mental Health Shortage Areas across the nation, access to a range of behavioral health services in primary care settings is needed.11 Recent HRSA National Center for Workforce Analysis projections indicated that for many behavioral health disciplines there will be deficits in the workforce by 2030.12

There is a need not only to increase the number of providers but also to develop quality behavioral workforce programs using this new knowledge gained from research. A gap remains between the practice of behavioral health and the knowledge gained from research.13 For example, after completing training, many psychologists have limited exposure to SUD treatment and there are increasing attempts to build this more holistically into training programs.14 Similarly, after 4 months, medical students who received training about alcohol and drug abuse had improved knowledge, skill, and self-efficacy on the matter.15 The behavioral health workforce programs, with their emphasis on training, are uniquely positioned to equip emerging professionals with the tools to implement high quality, up-to-date and effective OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery methods. The services and products generated by this TA program are essential for training a behavioral health workforce prepared to stem the addiction-related problems facing the nation.

II. Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

Type(s) of applications sought: New

HRSA will provide funding in the form of a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is a financial assistance mechanism in which HRSA anticipates substantial involvement with the recipient during performance of the contemplated project.

10 SAMHSA. Behavioral Health Equity. Available at https://www.samhsa.gov/health-disparities 11 HRSA. HPSA Find. Available at https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/hpsa-find 12 HRSA Health Workforce. Behavioral Health Workforce Projections. 2017-2030. Available at https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/projections/bh-workforce-projections-fact-sheet.pdf 13 Lamb S, Greenlick MR, McCarty D. Bridging the Gap between Practice and Research: Forging Partnerships with Community- Based Drug and Alcohol Treatment. National Academies Press (US). 1998. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230400/ 14 Dimoff, J. D., Sayette, M. A., & Norcross, J. C. (2017). Addiction training in clinical psychology: Are we keeping up with the rising epidemic? American Psychologist, 72(7), 689-695. Available at https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2017-43854-006.html 15 Devyani Kothari, MD., Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH,, Joshua D. Lee, MD, MSc,, Ellie Grossman, MD, MPH,, Andrea Truncali, MD, MPH,, Tavinder K. Ark, MSc,, and Adina L. Kalet, MD, MPH,. Undergraduate Medical Education in Substance Abuse: A Review of the Quality of the Literature. Acad Med. 2011 Jan; 86(1): 98–112. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3148085/ https://www.samhsa.gov/health-disparities https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/hpsa-find https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/projections/bh-workforce-projections-fact-sheet.pdf http://www.nap.edu/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230400/ https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2017-43854-006.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Kothari%20D%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Gourevitch%20MN%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Lee%20JD%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Grossman%20E%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Truncali%20A%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Ark%20TK%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Kalet%20AL%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=21099395 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3148085/

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In addition to the usual monitoring and TA provided under the cooperative agreement, HRSA program involvement responsibilities will include:

1. Participating in the strategic direction of the services provided to include but not limited to planning, development, and evaluation of all phases of the project;

2. Providing programmatic input and consultation for development and delivery of TA;

3. Participating in the development of outcome measures specific to TA provided;

4. Participating in the planning of the awarded recipient’s learning collaborative;

5. Participating in the planning of TA conducted by the awarded recipient;

6. Reviewing and approving project activities and products prior to dissemination; and

7. Reviewing and approving publications and other products created by the awarded recipient.

The cooperative agreement recipient’s responsibilities will include:

1. Completing activities proposed by the award recipient and approved by HRSA, except as modified in consultation with HRSA through the appropriate prior approval processes;

2. Collaborating with federal, state, and other HRSA-funded entities;

3. Adhering to HRSA guidelines pertaining to acknowledgement and disclaimer on all products produced by HRSA award funds, per Section 2.2 of the R&R Application Guide (Acknowledgement of Federal Funding);

4. Working with HRSA and behavioral health workforce development programs in identifying TA needs and implementing TA strategies and activities that meet individual grantee needs and can be used by any entity receiving TA.

Working with HRSA in the development of data collection tools, training materials, publications to strengthen the behavioral health workforce programs and other complementary resources; and

5. Developing and maintaining an initiative-specific, private, secure website for communication about the initiative. The private, secure website will be accessible to the award recipient, partnering experiential placement sites, and HRSA staff. The website will be expected to support:

o TA resources, such as evidence-based and educational materials, linkages to products, tools, evaluation resources for OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, harm reduction, risk management, and overdose prevention, recent findings of interest from outside the initiative, and links to relevant resources;

o Logistical and administrative information, such as registration information for the national meetings of the initiative; a calendar of events, online trainings, and publications.

This website will also serve as a repository of learning collaborative webinars, tools, and resources to share among the behavioral health workforce development programs.

https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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2. Summary of Funding

HRSA estimates approximately $2,500,000 to be available annually to fund one recipient. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $2,500,000 total cost (includes both direct and indirect, facilities and administrative costs) per year. The period of performance is September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2025 (4 years). Funding beyond the first year is subject to the availability of appropriated funds for BHWD TAE in subsequent fiscal years, satisfactory recipient progress, and a decision that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

All HRSA awards are subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 45 CFR part 75.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for the BHWD TAE are: Health professions schools, academic health centers, State or local governments, or other public or private nonprofit entities that provide services and training to health professions.

A nationally recognized accrediting body, as specified by the U.S. Department of Education, must accredit applicants that are institutions of higher education. These applicants must submit their accreditation documentation as Attachment 4. Accredited health professions schools and academic health centers applicants are required to submit accreditation documentation. Those that fail to attach a copy of the required accreditation documentation as Attachment 4 will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this announcement. Applicants are required to maintain their accreditation throughout the project period and notify HRSA of any change in status.

Eligible entities must be located in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, America Samoa, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.

Domestic faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply, if otherwise eligible.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing/matching is not required for this program.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=4d52364ec83fab994c665943dadf9cf7&ty=HTML&h=L&r=PART&n=pt45.1.75

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3. Other

Ceiling Amount HRSA expects approximately $2,500,000 to be available per year to fund one recipient.

Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $2,500,000 total cost (includes both direct and indirect, facilities and administrative costs) per year.

HRSA will consider any application that exceeds the page limit referenced in Section_IV.2 non-responsive and will not consider it for funding under this notice.

Deadline HRSA will consider any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements referenced in Section IV.4 non-responsive and will not consider it for funding under this notice.

Maintenance of Effort The recipient must agree to maintain non-federal funding for award activities at a level that is not less than expenditures for such activities maintained by the entity for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the entity receives the award, as required by 42 U.S.C. §§ 295n-2(b) (§ 797(b) of the Public Health Service Act). Complete the Maintenance of Effort information and submit as Attachment 5.

Multiple Applications

NOTE: Multiple applications from an organization are not allowable.

An organization is an entity with its own unique DUNS number or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

HRSA will only accept your last validated electronic submission, under the correct funding opportunity number, prior to the Grants.gov application due date as the final and only acceptable application.

Failure to include all required documents as part of the application may result in an application being considered incomplete or non-responsive.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

HRSA requires you to apply electronically. HRSA encourages you to apply through Grants.gov using the SF-424 Research and Related (R&R) workspace application package associated with this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) following the directions provided at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

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The NOFO is also known as “Instructions” on Grants.gov. You must select “Subscribe” and provide your email address for each NOFO you are reviewing or preparing in the workspace application package in order to receive notifications including modifications, clarifications, and/or republications of the NOFO on Grants.gov. You will also receive notifications of documents placed in the RELATED DOCUMENTS tab on Grants.gov that may affect the NOFO and your application. You are ultimately responsible for reviewing the For Applicants page for all information relevant to this NOFO.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Section 4 of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide provides instructions for the budget, budget justification, staffing plan and personnel requirements, assurances, certifications, and abstract. You must submit the information outlined in the SF-424 R&R Application Guide in addition to the program-specific information below. You are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide except where instructed in the NOFO to do otherwise. You must submit the application in the English language and in the terms of U.S. dollars (45 CFR § 75.111(a)).

See Section 8.5 of the SF-424 R&R Application Guide for the Application Completeness Checklist.

Application Page Limit The total size of all uploaded files included in the page limit shall not exceed the equivalent of 80 pages when printed by HRSA. The page limit includes the abstract, project and budget narratives, attachments including biographical sketches (biosketches), and letters of commitment and support required in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide and this NOFO. Standard OMB-approved forms that are included in the workspace application package do not count in the page limit. Biographical sketches do count in the page limitation. Please note: If you use an OMB-approved form that is not included in the workspace application package for HRSA-21-086 it may count against the page limit. Therefore, we strongly recommend you only use Grants.gov workspace forms associated with this NOFO to avoid exceeding the page limit. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement and proof of non-profit status (if applicable) do not count in the page limit. Any application exceeding the page limit of 80 will not be read, evaluated, or considered for funding. It is therefore important to take appropriate measures to ensure your application does not exceed the specified page limit.

Applications must be complete, within the specified page limit, and validated by Grants.gov under the correct funding opportunity number prior to the deadline.

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion Certification

1) You certify on behalf of the applicant organization, by submission of your proposal, that neither you nor your principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency.

2) Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 45 CFR § 75.371, including suspension or debarment. (See also 2 CFR parts 180 and 376, and 31 U.S.C. § 3321).

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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3) Where you are unable to attest to the statements in this certification, an explanation shall be included in Attachment 8: Other Relevant Documents.

See Section 4.1 viii of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information on all certifications.

Program-Specific Instructions

Program Requirements

The award recipient funded under this funding opportunity will be required to:

1. Develop a minimum of five (5) community of practice learning collaboratives for HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs that include academic institutions, community partners, experiential placement sites, and other TA programs or centers, to inform and disseminate evidence-based practices and resources that promote the widespread enhancement of behavioral health practice in OUD/SUD.

2. Provide tailored TA services to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs, through, but not limited to, individual and group virtual TA, webinars, and engagement calls. The TA should link grant recipients to resources that address gaps, as well as enhance and strengthen knowledge and skills, on developing behavioral health workforce programs in OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, harm reduction, risk management, overdose prevention, and recovery services.

3. Continuously review the overall effectiveness of the private secure website, TA, and training tools, by monitoring ongoing processes and progress toward meeting goals and objectives of the project.

4. Contribute to publication-worthy report(s) for dissemination to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs on a private secure website accessible to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development award recipients. These reports must include outcomes and recommendations on:

a. Mechanisms for identifying, establishing, supporting and maintaining training sites and networks, including community-based and non-traditional sites such as Emergency Rooms, Police Departments and other sites critical for OUD/SUD identification, intervention and initiation of treatment; and

b. The most effective didactic models, curricula, and approaches that prepare trainees to practice focusing on OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services commensurate with their discipline, education level, license level, and/or certification upon program/degree/certificate completion.

i. Project Abstract See Section 4.1.ix of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide.

The Abstract must include:

1. A brief overview of the project as a whole;

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2. Specific, measurable objectives that the project will accomplish; and

3. How the proposed project for which funding is requested will be accomplished, i.e., the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of a project.

ii. Project Narrative

This section provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It should be succinct, and consistent with the forms and attachments, as well as organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.

Successful applications will contain the information below. Please use the following section headers for the narrative:

PURPOSE AND NEED -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #1

In this section, you must describe the purpose of the proposed project and need for the program. This section will help reviewers understand the need and purpose for multidisciplinary TA, and evaluation in OUD and other SUD.

You must describe:

1. The current OUD/SUD treatment and prevention landscape, including best practices and approaches that are most effective in addressing OUD/SUD;

2. The current best and evidence-based practices for educating health providers across a variety of fields on effective OUD/SUD interventions; and

3. The current operations, including current services and gaps, TA, and evaluation activities currently in place across the variety of fields on effective OUD/SUD interventions.

RESPONSE TO PROGRAM PURPOSE -- This section includes three sub-sections

— (a) Work Plan; (b) Methodology/Approach; and (c) Resolution of Challenges—all of which correspond to Section V’s Review Criteria #2 (a), (b), and (c).

(a) WORK PLAN -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #2 (a).

In this section, you must provide a comprehensive, detailed work plan that addresses how, through concrete steps, you plan to implement the proposed project in order to achieve the goals of the NOFO and successfully implement the proposed activities identified in the Methodology/Approach section. The work plan must drive and align with the methodology and include the following:

1. Description of the activities or steps, key partners, staff responsible, and timeframes during the four (4) year project period. Goals and objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time framed; and

2. Explanation of how the work plan is appropriate for the program design and how the targets for key activities fit into the overall grant implementation timeline and four (4) year project period.

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A sample work plan can be found at http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/technicalassistance/workplantemplate.docx.

Documentation of work plan must be submitted as Attachment 6.

(b) METHODOLOGY/APPROACH -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion

#2 (b).

In this section, you must describe your objectives, proposed activities and strategies to institute a TA program for HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs, provide evidence for how they link to the project purpose, the stated needs, and meet each of the program requirements in this NOFO.

You must include the methodologies, strategies, and approaches for the following:

1. Executing a program with each of the program requirement functions in this

NOFO;

2. Creating and delivering TA to academic and community based programs focusing on OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services;

3. Transforming behavioral health workforce development grantees’ environments to ensure trainees and health workforce are well prepared in OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services;

4. Building a community of practice of academic and community partnerships, including partnerships with other TA programs or centers sites to compile and develop the most up–to-date resources focusing on the OUD/SUD treatment;

5. Evaluating the TA provided though rapid cycle quality improvement (RCQI) to the behavioral health workforce development programs, including how the TA improves trainees’ readiness to practice commensurate with their discipline, education level, license level, and/or certification upon program/degree/certificate completion; and the needs of faculty and experiential site supervisors focusing on OUD/SUD prevention, treatment and recovery services;

6. Developing and maintaining an online closed facing webpage of a compendium of tools, resources, and consultation services to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs, as described in the NOFO;

7. Providing a work plan as Attachment 6 that drives and aligns with the methodology and incorporates the activities and strategies to institute a TA program; and

8. Providing a Logic Model for designing and managing the project as Attachment

7. You can find additional information on developing logic models at the following website: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/prep-logic-model-ts_0.pdf

(c) RESOLUTION OF CHALLENGES -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion

#2 (c)

In this section, you must discuss challenges that you anticipate you are likely to encounter based on prior workforce development program experience in designing and implementing the activities described in the work plan, and approaches to resolve such challenges. This section must include:

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/technicalassistance/workplantemplate.docx https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/prep-logic-model-ts_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/prep-logic-model-ts_0.pdf

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1. Challenges related to program requirements, work plan, project implementation, and achievement of the proposed goals and objectives (e.g., performance measurement requirements);

2. Challenges related to providing TA to multidisciplinary professional and paraprofessional workforce development programs, providing TA in a learning collaborative, managing a TA program including responding to rapid response requests, developing and engaging in academic and community partnerships, developing and maintaining a private, secure website in the public domain with linkage to resources, and implementing methodologies and strategies for measuring progress toward TA goals; and

3. Resources and plans to resolve and overcome these challenges and obstacles, and examples of such.

IMPACT -- Correspond to Section V’s Review Criterion #3

Describe plans to monitor and evaluate the proposed TA Program. Describe how the TA program will promote effective execution of the proposed activities and accountability to proposed project goals. The program performance evaluation must monitor ongoing processes and progress toward meeting goals and objectives of the project. Include descriptions of the inputs (e.g. key evaluation personnel and organization support, collaborative partners, budget and other resources); key processes; variables to be measured; expected outcomes of the funded activities; and a description of how all key evaluation measures will be reported. You must submit as Attachment 1 a complete staffing plan and job descriptions for key personnel. Bio sketches of Key Personnel should be uploaded in the SF-424 R&R Senior/Key Person Profile form. The evaluation plan must demonstrate evidence that the evaluative measures selected will be able to assess: 1) the extent to which the program objectives have been met, 2) the extent to which these can be attributed to the project, and 3) how will the evaluation plan be linked to the behavioral health workforce development programs. The BHWD TAE awardee will be expected to report on their findings in their Annual Progress Report.

Meaningful and accurate endpoint data will demonstrate the success of the BHWD TAE, inform quality improvement activities, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.

In this section, you must describe how you plan to monitor, evaluate, and document your project’s performance.

Performance Evaluation Plan: Provide a Performance Evaluation Plan that will contribute to continuous quality improvement. The plan must include:

1. Description of how you will monitor ongoing processes and progress toward meeting goals and objectives of the project;

2. Descriptions of the inputs (e.g., key evaluation staff and organizational support, collaborative partners, budget, and other resources), key processes, and variables to be measured;

3. Expected outcomes of the funded activities; and

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4. Description of how all key evaluative measures will be reported and disseminated.

5. Description of specific actions you will take to highlight key elements of the project, which have been effective in developing a behavioral health workforce with OUD/SUD expertise;

Performance Reporting Plan: You must describe the systems and processes that will support your organization's collection of HRSA’s performance measurement requirements for this program. The following link includes examples of the required data forms for this program:

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html.

You must describe the data collection strategy to collect, manage, analyze and track data to measure the impact/outcomes, of the work plan in a way that allows for accurate and timely reporting of performance outcomes.

You must describe any potential obstacles for implementing the program performance evaluation and meeting HRSA’s performance measurement requirements and your plan to address those obstacles. The evaluation and reporting plan also should indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of plans for dissemination of project results, the extent to which TA program results may be national in scope, and the degree to which the project activities are replicable and plans to sustain all or part of the proposed TA program after the end of the four-year period of performance.

Describe your plan and capacity to collect, validate, and report required data measures on the TA being provided to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs, such as, but not limited to:

1. Number and type of institutions constituting the five (5) community of practice learning collaboratives;

2. Number, type, and location of TA events that were requested by the programs and their sites during the project period; number and type of TA events provided to HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs. These include: number of individual and group TA sessions, number of webinars, and number of engagement calls; and

3. Number and type of publication-worthy report(s) disseminated and maintained on a private, secure website; number of surveys received from HRSA’s behavioral health workforce development programs that utilized the TA services of the awarded entity; number and types of satisfaction ratings and impacts the services had on their programs; number of web-based links to products, tools, and evaluation resources for OUD/SUD; and

4. Number and types of calendar of events, online trainings, and publications, linkage to products, tools, evaluation resources for OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, harm reduction, risk management, and overdose prevention, listed on a single online private secure website.

You must describe a plan for RCQI for the continuous monitoring of ongoing project processes, outcomes of implemented activities, and progress toward meeting grant goals and objectives and the implementation of necessary adjustment to planned http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html

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activities to effect course corrections. Additional information on RCQI is available at the following website:

https://www.healthworkforceta.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/RCQI_Resource_Guide.

pdf

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND CAPABILITIES --

Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #4

Succinctly describe your capacity to manage effectively the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative aspects of the proposed project.

You must describe the following:

1. Experience in developing or assisting behavioral health workforce development programs in high need and high demand areas, and with rural and/or medically underserved communities as defined by HRSA, characterization of the social determinants of health and behavioral health disparities in these areas, and discussion of how these will be addressed by the TA cooperative agreement, and examples of such;

2. Proven ability to identify and disseminate best practices for prevention, treatment, and recovery of OUD/SUD, as well as identify and alleviate gaps and barriers in the training of the behavioral health workforce, linking it to improved behavioral health outcomes and examples of such;

3. Experience in working with a multidisciplinary behavioral health workforce, and/or academic and community based programs focused on research based OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services, and examples of such;

4. Demonstrated capability to leverage behavioral health training environments and improve health outcomes by employing a collaborative learning environment, use of partnerships between academic institutions, community partners, experiential placement sites, other TA centers, and outcome based evaluation for accomplishing these goals, and examples of such;

5. Practice in working with special populations and population health and improving the behavioral health workforce, and examples of such;

6. Demonstrated evidence of capacity and expertise to successfully manage the proposed program, including relevant current or previous organizational experience as evident in the staffing plan as Attachment 1, staff biosketches, institutional support and letters of agreement as Attachment 2, project organizational chart as Attachment 3, and response in the narrative section;

7. Demonstrated evidence of capacity and expertise to provide TA to multidisciplinary professionals and paraprofessionals of various disciplines and education levels in best practices for interprofessional, integrated team-based care with a focus on OUD/SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery;

8. Evidence of expertise in developing, and maintaining to health workforce stakeholders a resource webpage with closed facing, on-demand resources, materials, and links to other workforce development partners; and

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9. Describe how BHWD TAE’s TA would be routinely assessed and improved based on prior experience providing assistance to similar behavioral health workforce programs outside of HRSA.

iii. Budget The directions offered in the SF-424 R&R Application Guide may differ from those offered by Grants.gov. Follow the instructions in Section 4.1.iv of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide and the additional budget instructions provided below. A budget that follows the R&R Application Guide will ensure that, if HRSA selects the application for funding, you will have a well-organized plan and, by carefully following the approved plan, may avoid audit issues during the implementation phase.

Reminder: The Total Project or Program Costs are the total allowable costs (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) you incur to carry out a HRSA-supported project or activity. Total project or program costs include costs charged to the award and costs borne by you to satisfy a matching or cost-sharing requirement, as applicable.

The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), Division H, § 202 states “None of the funds appropriated in this title shall be used to pay the salary of an individual, through a grant or other extramural mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.” See Section 4.1.iv Budget – Salary Limitation of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information. Note that these or other salary limitations may apply in the following fiscal years, as required by law.

iv. Budget Justification Narrative See Section 4.1.v of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide.

The budget justification narrative must describe all line-item federal funds (including subawards), proposed for this project. Please note: all budget justification narratives count against the page limit.

In addition, the BHWD TAE requires the following:

Consultant Services: If you are using consultant services, list the total costs for all consultant services. In the budget justification, identify each consultant, the services he/she will perform, the total number of days, travel costs, and the total estimated costs.

NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

To ensure that you fully address the review criteria, this table provides a crosswalk between the narrative language and where each section falls within the review criteria. Any attachments referenced in a narrative section may be considered during the objective review.

Narrative Section Review Criteria Purpose and Need (1) Purpose and Need http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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Response to Program Purpose:

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

(2) Response to Program Purpose

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

Impact

(3) Impact

Organizational Information, Resources, and Capabilities

(4) Organizational Information, Resources, and Capabilities

Budget and Budget Justification Narrative

(5) Support Requested

v. Attachments Provide the following items in the order specified below to complete the content of the application. Unless otherwise noted, attachments count toward the application page limit. Indirect cost rate agreements and proof of non-profit status (if applicable) will not count toward the page limit. Clearly label each attachment.

Attachment 1: Staffing Plan and Job Descriptions for Key Personnel (see Section 4.1.vi. of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide) (Required)

Keep each job description to one page in length as much as is possible. Include the role, responsibilities, and qualifications of proposed project staff.

Please include a description of your organization’s time keeping process to ensure that you will comply with the federal standards related to documenting personnel costs.

You must present a staffing plan and provide a justification for the plan that includes education and experience qualifications and rationale for the amount of time being requested for each staff position. Copies of biographical sketches or resumes for any key employed personnel that will be assigned to work on the proposed project must be uploaded in the SF-424 R&R Senior/Key Person profile form. In the event that a biographical sketch is included for an identified individual who is not yet hired, please include a letter of commitment from that person with the biographical sketch.

Key personnel should have adequate time devoted to the project to achieve the project objectives. Project staff should also have expertise in successful academic-practice partnerships, workforce development issues, adult learning and evidence-based education models, particularly distance learning and those that utilize available and emerging technologies.

Biographical sketches, not exceeding two pages per person, should include the following information:

• Senior/key personnel name

• Position Title

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• Education/Training - beginning with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, including postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable:

o Institution and location o Degree (if applicable) o Date of degree (MM/YY) o Field of study

• Section A (required) Personal Statement. Briefly describe why the individual’s experience and qualifications make him/her particularly well-suited for his/her role (e.g., PD/PI) in the project that is the subject of the award.

• Section B (required) Positions and Honors. List in chronological order previous positions, concluding with the present position. List any honors.

Include present membership on any Federal Government public advisory committee.

• Section C (optional) Peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press (in…