Tribal Behavioral Health: Suicide Prevention

The Tribal Behavioral Health: Suicide Prevention program is a federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This program is part of a broader federal initiative to address behavioral health disparities and improve mental health outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native populations. SAMHSA, as the administering agency, focuses on advancing behavioral health nationwide, with targeted programs designed to meet the needs of specific populations, including Tribal communities that experience disproportionately high rates of suicide among youth and young adults. The primary purpose of this program is to support the prevention of suicide, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide among American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adults through age 24. The program is designed to strengthen Tribal behavioral health systems by supporting culturally appropriate, community-driven prevention strategies. Funded projects are expected to address risk factors, enhance protective factors, and improve early identification and intervention efforts within Tribal communities. The initiative emphasizes the importance of incorporating traditional practices and culturally relevant approaches into behavioral health services. Funding under this opportunity is expected to support a range of activities aligned with suicide prevention, including outreach, education, screening, crisis intervention, and the development of coordinated care systems. While specific allowable costs are not detailed in the forecast notice, SAMHSA programs typically permit expenditures related to personnel, program implementation, training, and evaluation. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this funding opportunity, which reduces financial barriers for eligible applicants and supports broader participation among Tribal entities. Eligibility for this program is restricted to federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations, Urban Indian Organizations, and consortia of tribes or tribal organizations. These entities must demonstrate the capacity to implement behavioral health programs targeting youth and young adults within Tribal communities. The eligibility criteria are designed to ensure that funding is directed toward organizations that are deeply connected to and representative of the communities being served. The application process is anticipated to follow standard federal grant submission procedures through Grants.gov once the opportunity is officially posted. At the time of this forecast, key application components, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements have not yet been released. Applicants should expect to provide detailed program narratives, budgets, and supporting documentation demonstrating organizational capacity and program design. SAMHSA typically evaluates applications based on factors such as need, approach, organizational readiness, and evaluation plans. As a forecasted opportunity, the estimated posting date is May 29, 2026, with application deadlines and award timelines to be announced at that time. The program is expected to make approximately 44 awards, with total program funding estimated at 15,381,824 dollars. While the exact project start dates and performance periods are not yet specified, SAMHSA grants commonly operate on multi-year cycles. Interested applicants are encouraged to monitor Grants.gov and prepare in advance by ensuring registration and readiness to submit once the notice of funding opportunity is released.