Opportunity Information: Apply for SM 23 008
The Transforming Lives Through Supported Employment Program (Funding Opportunity Number SM-23-008) is a discretionary grant offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is a health-focused funding opportunity (CFDA 93.243) designed to strengthen how states and communities help adults with serious mental illness (SMI), as well as adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD), move into competitive employment and stay employed over time. Rather than funding isolated job placement efforts, the program emphasizes building and maintaining evidence-based supported employment approaches that are proven to work, along with complementary practices that fit alongside them, such as supported education, so participants can pursue training or credentials that improve long-term career options.
At its core, the grant is meant to increase real-world employment outcomes for people who often face significant barriers to entering the workforce. SAMHSA is focusing on refining, implementing, and sustaining Supported Employment Program (SEP) models, meaning applicants are expected to strengthen both the quality and the durability of their supported employment services. The intent is not only to start programs, but to make them sustainable and integrated into local systems of care. By investing in capacity-building, the program aims to help communities develop the staffing, partnerships, workflows, and ongoing supports needed to produce better competitive employment results and to connect employment to broader recovery goals, including increased independence and self-sufficiency.
Funding is provided as grant awards with an award ceiling of $800,000, and SAMHSA anticipated making around six awards under this announcement. The opportunity was posted on February 28, 2023, with an original application closing date of May 1, 2023. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the opportunity's additional eligibility information, which typically means the announcement may allow certain non-traditional or specifically defined entities to apply beyond the standard categories.
Overall, this opportunity is about helping communities put evidence-based supported employment into practice in a way that lasts, aligns with other effective supports (like education services), and measurably improves access to competitive jobs for adults living with SMI or COD. The broader goal is to translate behavioral health recovery into meaningful community participation through employment, while strengthening the local infrastructure needed to keep those services effective over time.Apply for SM 23 008
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Transforming Lives Through Supported Employment Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.243.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 28, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 01, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Transforming Lives Through Supported Employment Program (SM-23-008)?
The Transforming Lives Through Supported Employment Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is designed to strengthen how states and communities help adults with serious mental illness (SMI), and adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD), obtain competitive employment and stay employed over time.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
This opportunity is offered by HHS through SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SM-23-008.
What is the CFDA number for this funding opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.243.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The main purpose is to improve real-world employment outcomes by refining, implementing, and sustaining evidence-based supported employment approaches that are proven to work. The program focuses on building durable supported employment capacity rather than funding isolated job placement activities.
Who is the program intended to serve?
The program is intended to serve adults with serious mental illness (SMI), as well as adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD), particularly those who face significant barriers to entering the workforce.
What kind of employment outcomes is SAMHSA trying to increase?
SAMHSA is aiming to increase access to competitive employment and improve long-term job retention for program participants.
Is this funding meant only for job placement services?
No. The opportunity emphasizes supported employment models that are evidence-based and sustainable, not stand-alone or isolated job placement efforts.
What types of approaches does the grant emphasize?
The grant emphasizes evidence-based supported employment approaches (Supported Employment Program/SEP models) and encourages the use of complementary practices that fit alongside them, such as supported education, to help participants pursue training or credentials that support longer-term career options.
What does SAMHSA mean by strengthening and sustaining SEP models?
Based on the description provided, SAMHSA expects applicants to strengthen both the quality and the durability of supported employment services. This includes improving how supported employment is delivered and ensuring it can be maintained over time within local systems of care.
What does "capacity-building" refer to in this opportunity?
Capacity-building refers to developing the local infrastructure needed for supported employment to work effectively and last over time. The opportunity describes needs such as staffing, partnerships, workflows, and ongoing supports that can produce better competitive employment results.
How does this program connect employment to recovery goals?
The opportunity frames employment as part of broader behavioral health recovery, linking work to goals such as increased independence, self-sufficiency, and meaningful community participation.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $800,000.
How many awards did SAMHSA anticipate making?
SAMHSA anticipated making around six awards under this announcement.
What type of grant is this?
This is described as a discretionary grant.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on February 28, 2023.
What was the application closing date?
The original application closing date listed was May 1, 2023.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the opportunity's additional eligibility information. This typically indicates the announcement may allow certain non-traditional or specifically defined entities to apply beyond standard categories, but the exact eligible entity types are not specified in the information provided here.
Is this opportunity focused on states, communities, or both?
Both. The opportunity is described as strengthening how states and communities help adults with SMI and COD move into competitive employment and remain employed over time.
What is meant by integrating services into "local systems of care"?
The description indicates the intent is to make supported employment sustainable and integrated into local systems of care, meaning services are designed to fit within ongoing community-based behavioral health and support structures rather than operating as temporary or disconnected efforts.
Does the program support education-related services?
Yes. The description mentions supported education as an example of a complementary practice that can be aligned with supported employment so participants can pursue training or credentials that improve long-term career options.
What is the broader goal of this grant beyond employment?
Beyond employment outcomes, the broader goal is to translate behavioral health recovery into meaningful community participation through employment while strengthening the infrastructure needed to keep supported employment services effective over time.
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