Round 3: County Behavioral Health Agencies — Strategic Enhancements

Through the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will provide $1.5 billion in funding to operate bridge housing settings to address the immediate and sustainable housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions, including a serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD). The program, which was signed into law in September 2022 under Assembly Bill (AB) 179 (Ting, Chapter 249, Statutes of 2022) and subsequently Senate Bill (SB) 101 (Skinner, Chapter 12, Statutes of 2023), provides funding through June 30, 2027. All BHBH Program funding is subject to any adjustments in budget development. California has provided significant capital funding to create housing and treatment settings in recent years, including through programs such as Homekey, the Community Care Expansion program, and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. The BHBH Program is designed to complement these capital investments. In contrast to capital funding programs (listed above), the BHBH Program primarily provides operational and supportive services funding to expand bridge housing implementation. The primary focus of the BHBH Program is to help people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions that prevent them from accessing help and moving out of homelessness. County behavioral health agencies (BHAs) applying for funding will be expected to clearly demonstrate how they will reach the historically underserved client populations that are most in need of supportive services. This Round 3 Request for Applications (RFA) provides county BHAs an opportunity to apply for strategic enhancement funds to further meet the goals of the BHBH Program as described in the BHBH Program Round 1: County BHAs RFA (Round 1 RFA). Program requirements and background are described in that RFA. Through this RFA, county BHAs with BHBH programs can apply for additional funds for strategic enhancements and to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness and serious behavioral health conditions. DHCS has engaged Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP), a consulting and research firm focused on improving health and human services systems, to serve as administrative entity supporting the implementation of the BHBH Program and to provide general grant training and technical assistance (TTA) during the application process and throughout the life of the project. AHP has engaged with additional consultants to further support Program implementation.

Eligibility

• Programs related to infrastructure
• Programs related to bridge
• Programs related to housing
• Programs related to homelessness

Award details

Applications close on April 10, 2024.

Categories

Health · Housing · Infrastructure · Sustainability