Behavioral Health Partnerships for Early Diversion of Adults and Youth

The Behavioral Health Partnerships for Early Diversion of Adults and Youth program is a federal discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This initiative falls under the Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance and is designed to address systemic challenges at the intersection of behavioral health and the justice system. The program reflects a broader federal priority to reduce unnecessary criminal justice involvement among individuals with mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorders by promoting early intervention and coordinated care. The primary purpose of this program is to support the development and implementation of infrastructure that enables communities to divert adults and youth away from criminal or juvenile justice systems before arrest or booking occurs. This includes building partnerships across behavioral health providers, law enforcement, courts, and community-based organizations to establish effective diversion pathways. The emphasis is on early identification, crisis response, and linkage to appropriate treatment and support services, thereby reducing reliance on punitive systems and improving long-term outcomes for affected individuals. Funding under this program is intended to support system-level improvements rather than isolated service delivery. Allowable uses are expected to include planning, coordination, workforce development, and implementation of diversion models, although specific allowable cost categories will be detailed in the full funding announcement. The program includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, indicating that applicants must contribute non-federal resources toward the total project cost. The total estimated program funding is 5797316 dollars, with approximately 17 awards anticipated, though individual award amounts are not specified at this stage. Eligible applicants include a broad range of governmental and tribal entities. Specifically, states and territories, political subdivisions such as counties or municipalities, Indian tribes or tribal organizations as defined under federal law, and health facilities or programs operated in partnership with the Indian Health Service are all eligible to apply. This inclusive eligibility structure is intended to support diverse jurisdictional approaches to diversion programming while ensuring alignment with federal behavioral health priorities. As this is a forecasted opportunity, the application process has not yet been formally opened. The estimated posting date is May 29, 2026, at which point full application instructions, required forms, and submission procedures will be made available, likely through Grants.gov. At present, no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers have been specified. Similarly, evaluation criteria, required application components, and detailed submission steps will be outlined in the official notice of funding opportunity upon release. Key timeline elements remain largely unspecified beyond the forecast and estimated posting date. There are no confirmed application deadlines, award dates, or project start dates available at this time. However, interested applicants are encouraged to monitor the opportunity closely and prepare for a federal grant application process that will likely involve detailed program narratives, budgets, and partnership documentation. For additional information or inquiries, the program provides a contact person, Gregory Crawford, who can be reached via phone at 240-276-2754 or by email at earlydiversionmailbox@samhsa.hhs.gov. This contact serves as the primary point of communication for prospective applicants during the pre-release phase.