The National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative - Community Treatment and Service Centers is a grant program forecasted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This initiative is part of SAMHSA’s broader mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities by improving access to services and expanding the availability of evidence-based mental health interventions.
This program aims to increase access to effective trauma-focused treatment and services for children, adolescents, and their families who have experienced traumatic events. It supports the development and enhancement of treatment approaches that are both developmentally and culturally appropriate, thereby improving the behavioral health outcomes for affected populations. Funded projects are expected to implement practices that have demonstrated effectiveness in treating child traumatic stress and to engage in outreach and collaboration with community systems that interact with youth, including child welfare, juvenile justice, and education systems.
Grants under this initiative will support Community Treatment and Service Centers, which are expected to provide direct mental health services and facilitate access to trauma-informed care across service systems. While the exact award amounts are not disclosed in this forecast notice, SAMHSA estimates a total program funding level of $40.2 million and anticipates making approximately 67 awards, reflecting a significant national investment in trauma-informed service delivery.
Eligible applicants include domestic public and private nonprofit entities. These may include state and local governments, tribes, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement for this funding opportunity. As the opportunity is currently forecasted, detailed submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and application components will be provided when the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is released, estimated for February 27, 2026.
The opportunity does not currently specify pre-application requirements or specific programmatic restrictions. Prospective applicants are advised to monitor Grants.gov and the SAMHSA website for the official NOFO release and subsequent updates. For questions in the interim, Elisabeth McCall Martin is listed as the grantor contact and can be reached via phone or email. The performance period and further timeline details will likely be clarified in the forthcoming full announcement.
