Tribes & Tribal Entities
Request for Applications (RFA) Documents and Resources
- Help Desk
- Informational Webinar Recording
- Informational Webinar Slides
- BHBH Tribal Bridge Housing 101 Webinar Recording
- BHBH Tribal Bridge Housing 101 Webinar Slides
- BHBH Tribal Entities RFA Office Hours Recording | August 30, 2023
BHBH Tribal Entities RFA Office Hours l September 6, 2023 Recording
BHBH Tribal Entities RFA Office Hours l September 6, 2023 Slides
New Funding Opportunity for Tribal Entities
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is pleased to announce the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program Tribal Entities Request for Applications (RFA).
The BHBH Program Tribal Entities RFA will make up to $50 million available for use in the planning and implementation of bridge housing services for individuals in Tribal communities who are experiencing homelessness and have serious behavioral health conditions, including serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
DHCS has engaged Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP), a consulting and research firm focused on improving health and human services systems, to serve as the BHBH Program administrative entity. AHP and partners will offer technical assistance throughout the course of this grant.
The application period ended September 15, 2023.
Need Support? Contact the Help Desk!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What information should I provide to help DHCS determine whether my organization is eligible to apply for BHBH Program funding? (7/19/23)
- Do all partners who apply for funds need to fit the “Tribal entity” definition? (7/19/23)
- Is the Planning Grant still available? (7/19/23)
- Who should be the primary BHBH Program applicant in a partnership or collaboration? (7/19/23)
- The word counts allotted to some application answers on the RFA are too short. (7/19/23)
- Can I submit more than one application on SurveyMonkey Apply? (7/19/23)
- What happens if we apply for BHBH Program funding with the intent to use it as a match for another funding source and we do not receive the other funding? (7/7/23)
- If I need reasonable accommodations in applying, where can I request alternative materials? (7/7/23)
- Can we use an existing SurveyMonkey Apply account to apply for the BHBH Program? (7/7/23)
- What is the grant funding cap amount per Tribal entity? (7/19/23)
- Are you limited to a budget of $75,000 per bed if you are building new housing? (7/19/23)
- What is the award amount range for Implementation Grants? (7/19/23)
- Can the BHBH Program funds be used to provide bridge housing services to individuals who are undocumented? (7/7/23)
- Are vehicle purchases an allowable infrastructure expense? (7/7/23)
- Can rental assistance funding be used for family financial housing support, such as reimbursing room rentals for a family member? (7/7/23)
- Will there be allowances for budget exceptions? (7/7/23)
- What are the options for Tribal entities that want to lease to own? (7/7/23)
- Is there a minimum or maximum stay requirement for bridge housing? (7/7/23)
- Will Tribal entities that receive BHBH Program funds be allowed to make budget modifications after they receive the award? (7/7/23)
- On page 7 of the BHBH Program Tribal Entities RFA, it states, “You will be able to upload documents, including the required organizational chart, budget, budget narrative, and signed attestation, as well as any other necessary supporting documentation, to SurveyMonkey Apply.” Is there an attestation required? (9/12/23)
- Will a waiver of sovereign immunity be required for grantees? (7/19/23)
- When a person who might be a BHBH participant has co-occurring mental and substance-related disorders, which one gets addressed first? (7/19/23)
- Can any individual receive services through BHBH Program-funded programs if they are experiencing distress and displaying disorganized behavior but haven’t been diagnosed with a serious behavioral health condition and/or do not want to be? (7/19/23)
- Are Tribal entities who participate in the BHBH Program required to participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)? (7/7/23)
Homelessness in Tribal Communities
The primary focus of the BHBH Program is to help those experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions that prevent them from accessing help and moving out of homelessness. California is home to the largest population of American Indians/Alaska Natives in the nation, approximately 720,000 individuals. Research documents a large, unmet need for new homes throughout California’s tribal lands, resulting in overcrowding and substandard housing. Sixty percent of California tribes cite homelessness and accessibility to stable housing as challenges in their communities. Serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD) can significantly increase obstacles to exiting homelessness and establishing housing stability.
Disparities Affecting Tribal Communities
Historic systemic imbalances continue to create disparities for Native American tribes, among them the fact that over 60 percent of Native American communities have no access to high-speed internet, which severely limits their ability to access education, employment, healthcare, and other essential services. Due to historical community trauma responses, Native American communities are highly vulnerable to mental illness. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that Native Americans have the highest rates of substance use disorders in the United States, more than any other ethnicity.
Tribal people have a cultural need to be close to their traditional homelands—separation from family and culture frequently compounds symptoms of mental illness and substance use. Overcrowded, multi-generational housing set-ups are common among Tribal communities due to the general lack of access to affordable housing. There is a clear need for services, facilities, and housing to be closer to traditional homelands in the interest of communities’ systemic wellness.
DHCS’s Addressing the Opioid Crisis in American Indian & Alaska Native Communities in California: A Statewide Needs Assessment, listed barriers to treatment that included unstable housing, fragmented service delivery, and a lack of residential treatment facilities for substance use disorders. Per the recommendations of that 2019 report, providing culturally centered services, maintaining resiliency in the community, and emphasizing cultural connectedness can lead to healing an individual’s spiritual, mental, and physical strength.