Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB-TNP)

For programmatic questions:
Carlos Mena, MS
301.443.3198
cmena@hrsa.gov

For business, administrative, or fiscal questions:
Shelia Burks
301.443.6452
sburks@hrsa.gov

This program provides funding for evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings in rural and underserved areas.

Program goals and expected outcomes include:

• Improve access to integrated behavioral health services in primary care settings
• Expand and improve the quality of health information available to healthcare providers by evaluating the effectiveness of integrating telebehavioral health services into primary care settings and establishing evidence-based models
• Generate data to inform research activities
• Expand telebehavioral health services to rural and underserved communities and primary care settings
• Increase the capacity of existing telehealth networks
• Develop innovative strategies, methods, or tools to integrate telebehavioral health services into primary care settings

Eligible applicants include rural or urban nonprofit or for-profit entities with demonstrated experience using telehealth technologies to serve rural populations. Faith-based, community-based organizations, tribal governments, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply. Applicants must propose to provide telebehavioral health services to patients in rural and underserved areas.

The telehealth network shall include at least 1 distant site and at least 2 of the following entities as originating sites:

• Community or migrant health centers or other Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Healthcare providers, including pharmacists, in private practice
• Entities operating clinics, including Rural Health Clinics
• Local health departments
• Nonprofit hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals
• Other publicly funded health or social service agencies
• Long-term care providers
• Providers of healthcare services in the home
• Providers of outpatient mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services and entities operating outpatient mental health and SUD facilities
• Local or regional emergency healthcare providers
• Institutions of higher education
• Entities operating dental clinics
• Providers of prenatal, labor care, birthing, and postpartum care services, including hospitals that operate obstetric care units

At least 1 originating site must be a community-based healthcare provider, and both originating sites must be located in rural and underserved areas. Applicants can use the Am I Rural tool to determine if a site is located in a rural or underserved area.

Award ceiling: $350,000 per year
Number of awards: 25
Project period: 5 years
Total funding available: $8,750,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

Applicants are required to consult their State Office of Rural Health or other appropriate state entity prior to submitting an application.