Enhancing the System of Care for Youth & Families

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), through its Office of Community and Family Resiliency, is soliciting applications for the Enhancing the System of Care for Youth & Families initiative under RFA #86 MHA-FY26-OCFR-Enhancing System of Care. This funding opportunity supports Ohio’s System of Care framework, a coordinated network of community-based behavioral health services for youth and families, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, treatment, harm reduction, and long-term recovery supports. The program period will run from September 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, with awards expected to be announced during the week of September 8, 2025. The initiative targets youth at risk for or diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD), including those with co-occurring mental health conditions, justice-involved youth, and youth from historically underserved populations. Grantees are expected to implement evidence-informed practices and strengthen cross-system partnerships to address prevention, treatment, and recovery support needs. Funded activities may include behavioral health treatment, peer and family support, mentoring, youth leadership development, supported education and employment, and care coordination. Ancillary supports such as transportation, housing, child care during services, and technology-related expenses are also allowable. Eligible applicants are limited to boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services (ADAMHS boards) as defined in section 5119.90 of the Ohio Revised Code. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to implement the scope of work, maintain compliance with applicable state and federal regulations, and collaborate with OhioMHAS and other relevant agencies. Applicants dispensing FDA-approved medications for SUD must have controls to prevent diversion. Entities must be in good standing with state and federal authorities. The total available funding is $2,239,352, with a maximum award of $250,000 per year per applicant. The number of awards is not specified. Funding is contingent on the availability of state or federal funds, and future years may be renewable based on performance. Selection will be based on technical scoring, alignment with SOC goals, quality and completeness of the application, budget appropriateness, and considerations of geographic and demographic diversity. The scoring rubric awards higher points to proposals with strong peer support, mentoring, youth-led services, and supported education and employment components. Applications must be submitted electronically to MH-PreventionServices@mha.ohio.gov by August 29, 2025, 3:00 p.m. EDT. Questions must be submitted by August 22, 2025, 3:00 p.m. EDT, via the designated email address, and responses will be posted on the OhioMHAS website. Required application components include a face-sheet, abstract, detailed project description, outcome measures, reporting plan, and budget forms. The project description must identify the target population, geographic area, number of individuals to be served, goals, measures, applicant and staffing qualifications, sub-awardee details, MOUs, and adherence to National CLAS Standards. The evaluation process will use a weighted scoring system covering project scope, prior experience, staffing and partnerships, implementation approach, evidence-based practices, adherence to CLAS standards, evaluation plan, and sustainability. Agreements are not effective until approved by the Ohio Office of Budget and Management. Work must begin within seven working days of fund encumbrance and approval, and all work must be completed by September 30, 2026. Public release of evaluation reports will occur only through OhioMHAS after a 30-day review period.

Strong proposals should emphasize peer support, mentoring, youth-led services, supported education and employment, cross-system collaboration, and meaningful youth and family engagement