The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is offering a funding opportunity titled the Peer Bridger Services Technical Assistance Grant. This initiative supports the implementation and success of Peer Bridger programs across Article 28 hospital facilities in New York State. Peer Bridger programs aim to provide transitional peer support for individuals discharged from hospital settings, helping them reintegrate into their communities with a focus on recovery, self-determination, and support grounded in lived experience. This grant will provide $100,000 annually for a five-year term to a single entity tasked with providing technical assistance and training to facilities adopting Peer Bridger programs. The total program funding across the five-year contract period is $500,000.
OMH's vision for this grant stems from a broader commitment to community-based mental health support, particularly emphasizing recovery-oriented models. Peer Bridgers—trained peer support staff with lived experience—engage individuals before their hospital discharge and continue providing support for up to one year in the community. These services are voluntary and non-coercive, focusing on individualized needs, systems navigation, skill-building, and emotional support. The technical assistance grantee will play a vital role in ensuring program fidelity, providing specialized training, facilitating a learning collaborative, and developing resources tailored to the Peer Bridger model.
The scope of services expected from the technical assistance provider includes conducting trauma-informed and culturally responsive training, offering mentorship and supervision frameworks, fostering community engagement using Asset-Based Community Development principles, and developing toolkits, manuals, and other peer support materials. Additionally, the grantee will collaborate with OMH’s Office of Advocacy and Peer Support Services (OAPSS) and other stakeholders to support the integration of Peer Bridgers into multidisciplinary teams and clinical settings.
Applications are open as of November 6, 2025, and proposals are due by January 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST. Questions about the RFP were due by December 1, 2025, and responses were posted on December 22, 2025. Notifications of awards are expected by February 18, 2026, and the project period begins July 1, 2026. All submissions must be made through the Statewide Financial System (SFS), and eligible applicants must be prequalified not-for-profit organizations already operating training and technical assistance programs funded by OMH.
Evaluation of proposals will consider technical narrative (up to 80 points) and financial assessments (20 points). Applicants must use the provided proposal template and budget forms and are encouraged to submit at least 48 hours in advance to account for technical issues. The Issuing Officer for this grant is Amanda Szczepkowski, and all inquiries must be directed to [email protected]. The grant does not require a cost share or matching funds and is contingent upon the continued availability of state appropriations. Proposals scoring below 70 points will not be considered for funding.
Submit early via SFS to avoid technical issues; focus on training and community engagement experience.
