Tribal Behavioral Health Substance Use Prevention

The Tribal Behavioral Health Substance Use Prevention program is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This federal initiative is designed to address persistent and disproportionately high rates of substance use and overdose among American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adults. SAMHSA’s broader mission emphasizes prevention, treatment, and recovery support, and this program specifically advances those goals by strengthening culturally responsive, community-driven prevention systems within Tribal and Urban Indian communities. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to prevent and reduce substance use and overdose among AI/AN youth and young adults through age 24. Applicants are expected to implement evidence-based and locally tailored strategies that build protective factors, reduce risk factors, and establish sustainable prevention infrastructure. The program requires a comprehensive approach that includes community engagement, strategic planning, workforce development, prevention education, and overdose response readiness. Activities must align with federal priorities, SAMHSA strategic principles, and applicable laws, while explicitly excluding certain prohibited uses such as harm reduction approaches defined by SAMHSA policy. Funding is provided as a discretionary grant with an estimated total program allocation of 9,000,000 dollars, supporting approximately 26 awards. Each award may receive up to 350,000 dollars annually for a project period of up to five years, resulting in a potential maximum total award of 1,750,000 dollars. Funds are primarily intended for capacity building, prevention services, and workforce development. Allowable uses include community-based education, training, planning activities, and overdose response preparation, while restrictions prohibit certain policy areas and require alignment with federal directives. Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for participation. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, tribal organizations, Urban Indian Organizations, and consortia of such entities. Applicants must meet specific structural and governance criteria, and organizations that previously received funding under certain earlier Tribal Behavioral Health programs in fiscal years 2022 through 2024 are ineligible. For consortium applications, formal approval letters from each participating entity are required, and one tribe must serve as the legal applicant responsible for compliance. The application process requires registration with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission. Applicants must complete a structured application package that includes a project abstract, a detailed project narrative, a budget narrative, and multiple required attachments such as timelines, letters of commitment, and documentation of nonprofit status where applicable. The project narrative is limited to 10 pages and must address defined evaluation criteria, including population need, implementation strategy, organizational capacity, and data collection plans. Applications undergo initial screening, merit review, and risk assessment before final funding decisions are made. Applications are due by July 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Awards are expected to be announced around September 1, 2026, with a projected project start date of September 30, 2026. Recipients must begin implementing required activities within four months of award and will be subject to ongoing reporting requirements, including quarterly and annual performance reporting through SAMHSA systems. While the opportunity does not explicitly state recurrence, it is part of an ongoing federal program that may be reissued in future fiscal cycles, subject to appropriations and agency priorities.

Align narrative closely to SAMHSA review criteria; demonstrate strong community need with data; ensure all required attachments are complete; clearly link objectives to measurable outcomes; ensure compliance with all federal restrictions