Two SAMHSA Minority AIDS Initiative Funding Opportunities Support Integration of Infectious Disease Services in Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently issued two funding opportunities supported by the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI). In one, SAMHSA is seeking applications for $5.7 million to support substance use prevention and treatment services that adopt a syndemic approach for racial and ethnic minority individuals at risk for or living with HIV. In the other, SAMHSA announced the availability of $2.6 million to expand the number of programs delivering integrated, primary care, behavioral health, infectious disease, and harm reduction services to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness using a portable clinical care approach.

MAI Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Pilot Program

The purpose of this program is to provide substance use prevention, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and HIV and viral hepatitis prevention and treatment services for racial and ethnic minority individuals vulnerable to a SUD and/or mental health condition, HIV, viral hepatitis, and other infectious diseases (e.g., sexually transmitted infections). Recipients will be expected to take a syndemic approach to SUD, HIV, and viral hepatitis by providing SUD prevention and treatment to racial and ethnic minority individuals at risk for or living with HIV, hepatitis C, and/or STIs. With this program, SAMHSA aims to pilot this integrated approach, which combines comprehensive prevention and treatment services, while increasing engagement in care for people at increased risk for SUD, HIV, viral hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. Priority (10 additional points) will be given to applicants implementing services in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) priority jurisdictions.

SAMHSA anticipates awarding up to eight programs of up to $700,000 per year for up to five years. At least one award will be made to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes, or tribal organizations pending sufficient application volume. Applications are due Friday, July 12, 2024.

Learn more and access the full application package on SAMHSA’s page for the Minority AIDS Initiative: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevention and Treatment Pilot Program.

MAI: Integrated Behavioral Health and HIV Care for Unsheltered Populations Pilot Project

This program will support grantees in piloting a portable clinical care approach for underserved populations who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness by integrating primary care, behavioral health, infectious disease, and harm reduction services. This portable clinical care approach focuses on literally “meeting people where they are,” such as encampments, with the equitable delivery of integrative services. Recipients will be expected to take a syndemic approach to healthcare delivery through the use of low barrier substance use disorder treatment, mental health care, harm reduction services, and infectious disease prevention and treatment services, including HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and mpox. With this program, SAMHSA aims to improve the healthcare for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness while learning, through the experience of funded grant recipients, about best practices for SUD, HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, mental health, and harm reduction service delivery in a low-barrier, on-site context.

A total of $2.6 million is available to support up to four programs with awards of up to $650,000 per year for up to three years. One award will be made to an applicant serving people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in a rural area, pending sufficient application volume. Applications are due July 8, 2024.

Learn more and access the full application package on SAMHSA’s page for the Minority AIDS Initiative: Integrated Behavioral Health and HIV Care for Unsheltered Populations Pilot Project.

These funding announcements reflect SAMHSA’s work to pursue its mission while supporting collaborative, cross-agency implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, EHE initiative, Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan (PDF, 1.7MB), and STI National Strategic Plan (PDF, 2.5MB).