The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is soliciting proposals to establish a new Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team within the Central New York Region. This initiative seeks to support individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who are also involved in the criminal justice system and have not effectively engaged with traditional mental health services. This FACT team will either be a 48- or 68-slot capacity program and is designed to serve counties including Broome, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and others within Central New York.
FACT builds upon the evidence-based ACT model, a multidisciplinary approach emphasizing community-based, person-centered services delivered by integrated teams of professionals including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, substance use specialists, and peers. The forensic enhancements to the ACT model are tailored to address criminogenic needs and justice involvement, aiming to reduce recidivism, support recovery, and integrate individuals safely into their communities.
Applicants must be prequalified not-for-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and experience providing mental health services to individuals with SMI. Applications must be submitted exclusively through the Statewide Financial System (SFS) and include a detailed operating budget, with all required attachments provided in PDF format except for the budget, which must be in Excel.
Key objectives include developing collaborative referral pathways (e.g., with SPOA, CNYPC, parole), implementing specialized evidence-based practices (e.g., CBT, Motivational Interviewing), hiring and training qualified staff to maintain a 6:1 participant-to-staff ratio, and operating on a schedule that allows flexible and crisis response services 24/7. The team must also include designated staffing for individuals being released from prison and maintain data reporting, fidelity adherence, and continuous quality improvement per OMH requirements.
Proposals are due by January 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST. Pre-application questions must be submitted by December 9, 2025, with responses posted by January 6, 2026. Awards are anticipated by February 25, 2026, with contracts commencing on July 1, 2026, for a term of five years. One award will be issued, with the successful applicant receiving $100,000 in start-up funds and $350,000 for ramp-up, in addition to annual Medicaid and net deficit funding depending on team size.
Early prequalification in SFS is mandatory; incomplete submissions will not be considered.
