National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI) - Category II, Treatment and Service Adaptation (TSA) Centers

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI) - Category II, Treatment and Service Adaptation (TSA) Centers grants. The purpose of the Category II, TSA Centers is to provide national expertise for specific types of traumatic events, population groups and service systems, and support the specialized adaptation of effective evidence-based treatment and service approaches for communities across the nation. To date, the NCTSI has developed and implemented evidence-based interventions and promising practices to reduce immediate distress from exposure to traumatic events; developed and provided training in trauma-focused approaches and services for use in child mental health clinics, schools, child welfare and juvenile justice settings, among other service areas; and developed widely used intervention protocols for disaster victims. The work of this initiative is carried out by a national network of grantees the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) that works collaboratively to develop and promote evidence-based trauma treatment, services, and other resources for children, adolescents, and families exposed to an array of traumatic events. The NCTSN members collaborate with one another, and partner with systems of care where children, adolescents, and families who have experienced trauma receive services in their communities. For more background information on the NCTSN, see Appendix III. SAMHSA has identified six Strategic Initiatives to focus the agency's work on improving lives and capitalizing on emerging opportunities. This announcement is part of SAMHSA's effort to achieve the goals of the SAMHSA Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiative by reducing the impact of trauma and violence on children, youth, and families, and addressing trauma-related issues throughout behavioral health, health, and social service systems. More information on SAMHSA's Strategic Initiatives is available at the SAMHSA website: http://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/strategic-initiatives The Category II, TSA Centers program seeks to address behavioral health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities by encouraging the implementation of strategies to decrease the differences in access, service use, and outcomes among the racial and ethnic minority populations served. (See PART II: Appendix F Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities.) Children of deployed military personnel have more school, family, and peer-related emotional difficulties in comparison to national samples. Therefore, SAMHSA has identified military families as a priority population under this funding opportunity. The Category II, TSA Centers grants are authorized under Section 582 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Mental Health and Mental Disorders Topic Area HP 2020-MHMD.