SAMHSA Grants: Funding Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Programs

What SAMHSA Funds and Why It Matters

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the lead federal agency for behavioral health, overseeing programs that address mental illness, substance use disorders, and co-occurring conditions. SAMHSA distributes more than $7 billion annually through formula and discretionary grants that fund prevention, treatment, recovery support, and mental health promotion across the United States. For behavioral health providers, community organizations, state agencies, and tribal entities, SAMHSA grants are often the primary vehicle for launching or expanding programs that serve some of the most vulnerable populations.

SAMHSA's work is organized around three centers, each with distinct grant portfolios:

• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT): Funds programs that expand and improve treatment services for substance use disorders, including medication-assisted treatment, recovery support services, and treatment for individuals in the criminal justice system.
• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP): Supports evidence-based prevention programs, particularly those targeting underage drinking, prescription drug misuse, and substance use among high-risk populations.
• Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS): Funds programs addressing serious mental illness, children's mental health, crisis intervention, homelessness among individuals with mental illness, and mental health workforce development.

Major SAMHSA Grant Programs

SAMHSA administers dozens of grant programs, but several are particularly significant due to their scale and impact:

State Opioid Response (SOR) and Tribal Opioid Response (TOR)

These formula grants provide states and tribes with flexible funding to address the opioid crisis through prevention, treatment, and recovery activities. While these are state-administered, community organizations often access SOR funds through sub-grants.

Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG)

Formula grants to states for comprehensive community mental health services, with priority for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)

Discretionary grants supporting the implementation of SBIRT in medical and community settings to identify and address risky substance use before it progresses to a diagnosable disorder.

Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)

Formula grants to states for outreach, screening, treatment, rehabilitation, and housing services for individuals with serious mental illness who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Writing Competitive SAMHSA Applications

SAMHSA discretionary grant applications are reviewed by peer review panels and scored against criteria published in the Request for Applications (RFA). SAMHSA applications have several distinctive requirements that differentiate them from other federal grants:

Evidence-Based Practice Requirements

SAMHSA strongly favors programs that implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) or practices with demonstrated effectiveness. Reference SAMHSA's Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center and the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) to identify and cite interventions appropriate for your population. Explain how you will implement these practices with fidelity while adapting them appropriately for your community's cultural and linguistic context.

Cultural Competency and Health Equity

SAMHSA requires applicants to address how they will provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services. This goes beyond translation services to encompass culturally adapted treatment models, workforce diversity, engagement strategies for underserved communities, and reduction of behavioral health disparities. Successful applications describe specific strategies rather than general commitments to cultural competency.

Logic Model and Evaluation Plan

SAMHSA requires a logic model with every discretionary grant application. The logic model must clearly connect inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes in a way that demonstrates the theoretical basis for your program design. Our detailed guide on logic models and theory of change provides the framework you need to build models that meet SAMHSA's expectations. Additionally, your evaluation plan must include both process and outcome evaluation components, with clearly defined performance measures tied to SAMHSA's Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requirements. For guidance on designing evaluations that meet federal standards, see our article on evaluation methods and implementation science.

Demonstrating Organizational Capacity

SAMHSA prioritizes applicants who can demonstrate the infrastructure needed to deliver behavioral health services effectively. This includes clinical staff credentials and licensure, data collection and reporting systems, financial management capacity, and experience working with the target population. Describe your organization's relevant accreditations, outcome data from existing programs, and any existing SAMHSA or other federal awards you manage successfully. Our guide on organizational capacity and partnerships provides strategies for presenting these qualifications persuasively.

GPRA Reporting and Performance Measurement

SAMHSA grantees are required to collect and report GPRA data using standardized instruments. This means that at the application stage, you must demonstrate understanding of GPRA requirements and describe how you will collect baseline and follow-up data from program participants. GPRA measures vary by program but typically include indicators related to substance use, mental health functioning, employment, housing stability, criminal justice involvement, and social connectedness. Building data collection into your program design from the start rather than retrofitting it later is essential for both compliance and program improvement.

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