Providers Clinical Support System – Universities
🏛 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis (HHS-SAMHS-SAMHSA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for university-based organizations and academic institutions seeking to develop, implement, or expand clinical support systems for substance abuse and mental health service providers. Eligible applicants typically include accredited higher education institutions, schools of medicine, schools of nursing, schools of social work, and other university-based training and clinical programs. The grant supports the infrastructure, training, and technical assistance needed to enhance provider capacity in addressing behavioral health needs. Activities may include curriculum development, training programs, clinical consultation services, and establishment of learning collaboratives. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states and territories. Priority is often given to programs that address workforce shortages in underserved areas or increase access to specialty training in evidence-based practices for substance use disorder and mental health treatment.
Program description
The purpose of this program is to fully prepare graduate-level health professional students to understand, identify, intervene, and treat patients with a substance use, misuse and substance use disorder (SUD), upon becoming licensed practitioners. Students will gain the knowledge of the medical consequences of SUD as a chronic illness, evidence-based treatment options, and the impact of recovery supports. Students will gain practical experience working with practitioners treating SUD as well as from individuals living in long-term recovery.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative/statement of need (typically 20–30 pages)
- Budget and budget justification (detailed by year if multi-year)
- Organizational capacity and qualifications of key staff (résumés, job descriptions)
- Letters of support from university leadership, clinical partners, and service providers
- Evaluation plan and performance metrics
- Sustainability plan
- Logic model or conceptual framework
- Organizational chart and DUNS number documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Belinda Greenfield
- 📧 Belinda.Greenfield@samhsa.hhs.gov
- 📞 (240) 276-2545
Funding track record
No recent recipient data available for CFDA 93.490 in our database.
This can happen for newer programs, programs that use non-standard award types (loans, direct payments, fellowships), or those funded through sub-agencies under different codes.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.490). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2026 est. | $545,000,000 |
FAQ
What types of organizations are eligible for this grant?
Accredited colleges and universities are the primary eligible applicants. This includes institutions offering degrees or training in medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, counseling, and related behavioral health fields.
What activities can this grant fund?
Eligible activities include developing training curricula for behavioral health providers, establishing clinical support and consultation services, creating learning collaboratives among providers, implementing technical assistance programs, and building infrastructure to support provider capacity in substance abuse and mental health treatment.
Are there geographic limitations on where I can serve?
No, applicants can serve any U.S. state or territory. However, grants may prioritize programs serving rural, underserved, or health professional shortage areas.
How competitive is this grant?
This is a moderately to highly competitive federal grant from SAMHSA. Success requires strong evidence of need, a clear plan for supporting providers, qualified staff, institutional support, and demonstrated feasibility.
What is the typical funding range?
SAMHSA training and workforce grants typically range from $150,000 to $500,000 annually, though amounts vary by program. Check the specific RFP for exact award range and project period.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly articulate the workforce capacity gap your program addresses and provide data on provider shortages, training needs, or access barriers in your target region or specialty area.
- Develop detailed, realistic plans for how your university will recruit, train, and support providers who will return to underserved communities; include retention and outcome metrics.
- Emphasize institutional commitment by securing letters of support from your university leadership, clinical partners, and the providers or health systems you intend to serve.
- Build partnerships with community health centers, hospitals, rural clinics, tribal health programs, or other service delivery settings to ensure your training directly addresses real-world clinical needs.
- Design strong evaluation and sustainability plans that demonstrate how the program will measure impact on provider competency, patient outcomes, and ultimately how it will continue beyond the grant period.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Many applications fail to establish a compelling need for the program in the target population or region, presenting insufficient data on workforce gaps or provider shortages. Additionally, applicants often underestimate the importance of strong partnerships with service delivery settings and community stakeholders; a university-focused proposal without clear buy-in from the organizations where providers will work is less competitive. Finally, weak sustainability planning—failing to show how the program will continue without federal funding—is a common reason for rejection.
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