Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information Related to Behavioral Health

The Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information Related to Behavioral Health is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSA is responsible for advancing behavioral health across the nation by supporting prevention, treatment, and recovery services for mental health and substance use disorders. Through its Projects of Regional and National Significance authority, the agency funds initiatives that address systemic gaps, improve service delivery, and promote evidence-based practices. This opportunity reflects SAMHSA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the infrastructure surrounding behavioral health data privacy and compliance. The primary purpose of this program is to establish and operate a National Center of Excellence focused on protected health information as it pertains to behavioral health. The funded entity will be responsible for developing and disseminating training programs, technical assistance, and educational resources. These resources are intended for a broad audience that includes healthcare practitioners, individuals receiving care, families, state agencies, and community-based organizations. The initiative emphasizes federal privacy statutes and regulations, ensuring that stakeholders understand and appropriately apply legal requirements governing sensitive behavioral health data. Funding under this cooperative agreement is expected to support a single award with an estimated total program funding of one million dollars. While specific allowable cost categories are not detailed in the forecast, typical cooperative agreement structures of this type permit expenditures related to staffing, curriculum development, training delivery, outreach, and evaluation activities. As a cooperative agreement, SAMHSA is likely to have substantial involvement in program implementation, offering guidance, oversight, and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated, which lowers the financial barrier to participation for eligible applicants. Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to domestic public and private nonprofit entities. This includes a wide range of organizations such as nonprofit service providers, research institutions, and potentially academic organizations that operate on a nonprofit basis. The inclusive eligibility language suggests that applicants must demonstrate the capacity to operate at a national level and deliver comprehensive training and technical assistance services. Applicants will likely need to show experience in behavioral health, data privacy, or healthcare compliance, as well as the organizational infrastructure necessary to support a national center. The application process is not yet fully detailed, as this is a forecasted opportunity. However, it is expected to follow standard federal grant submission procedures through Grants.gov once the official notice of funding opportunity is posted. Applicants will likely be required to submit a full proposal that includes a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capacity documentation, and possibly evaluation and dissemination plans. The estimated post date is May 29, 2026, at which point full application instructions, deadlines, and required components will be made available. At this stage, specific application deadlines, award dates, and project start dates have not been published. Because the opportunity is forecasted, prospective applicants are encouraged to begin preparing in advance by monitoring updates and ensuring compliance with federal registration requirements such as SAM.gov and Grants.gov. The absence of a defined deadline indicates that the opportunity is in an early engagement phase, allowing organizations time to plan and align their proposals with anticipated program priorities. The primary contact for this opportunity is Belinda Greenfield, who can be reached via phone at 240-276-2545 or by email at belinda.greenfield@samhsa.hhs.gov. Interested applicants may use this contact to request additional information or clarification once the funding opportunity is officially released. As a forecasted program with a likely national scope and a single award, this opportunity represents a significant investment in strengthening behavioral health data privacy practices across the United States.