SAMHSA Announces $39.6 Million in Offender Re-entry Program Grants

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced that it is accepting applications for fiscal year 2010 grants for the Offender Re-entry Program (ORP). The purpose of the program is to expand and/or enhance substance abuse treatment and related recovery and re-entry services to sentenced juvenile or adult offenders returning to the community from incarceration.

Eligible applicants – which include community- and faith-based organizations – should anticipate forming stakeholder partnerships that will plan, develop and provide a transition from incarceration to community-based substance abuse treatment and related services for the populations of focus. Because re-entry transition must begin in the correctional or juvenile facility before release, limited funding may be used for certain activities in institutional correctional settings in addition to the expected community-based services.

ORP grantees will be expected to seek out and coordinate with any local federally-funded offender re-entry initiatives including “Second Chance Act” offender re-entry programs, as appropriate. SAMHSA intends that this service grant result in the delivery of services as soon as possible after the award; service delivery should begin by the fourth month of the project at the latest. Also, potential grantees must address offenders who are within four months of scheduled release to the community, otherwise their applications will not be considered.

There will be up to 16 awards to serve juvenile offenders and up to 17 awards to serve adult offenders. Each award amount will be up to $400,000 and last up to three years for a total of $39.6 million (or $13.2 million per year) in funding available.

To read the full request for applications, click here.

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