RFA - Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Building Program

Overview

When disasters impact communities in Colorado, support for the people of those communities comes from many places. Disaster behavioral health response teams care for the psychosocial wellbeing of disaster survivors. The Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Building Program provides guidance and funding for the crucial preparedness work that disaster behavioral health response teams perform. 

In this program, there are three distinct lines of funding called Focuses. Each Focus builds capacity in different areas of disaster behavioral health preparedness. 

Your organization can apply for any combination of the Focuses — one, two, or all three! Read about the eligibility requirements below, and look for the full eligibility rules in the Request for Applications document.

*PHEP- Public Health Emergency Preparedness
**SBG- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Block Grant

The DBH Capacity Building Program will run for five years, from 2024 through 2029. This period will be divided into five budget periods, one for each state fiscal year. The Sample Statements of Work available on this webpage show the anticipated activities for the first budget period, which runs from July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025. Based on past performance, your organization may be invited to continue receiving funding without reapplying in future fiscal years. You will work with CDPHE to create new Statements of Work for each budget period.

How it works 

Each Focus has a set of activities that will make up your Statement of Work (SOW) if you receive an award. Check out each Focus’s sample SOW to review the expected set of activities. Upon review of each activity’s deliverable, your organization can submit an invoice to be reimbursed for the associated amount of money in your finalized Statement of Work. 

Members of the Disaster Behavioral Health (DBH) team will work with you every step of the way from contract kickoff to invoicing. 

Eligibility and evaluation

At its heart, this program is intended for organizations and clinics that already support the mental and behavioral health of Colorado communities. Each of the three Focuses require applicants to represent stakeholders as listed below:

• Focus A: 1281 has the widest reach. Organizations with mental health missions and programs that want to develop their disaster preparedness and response capacity may apply. 
• Focus B: PHEP is available to organizations that are Community Mental Health Centers according to Colorado Revised Statute. 
• Focus C: SBG requires that applying organizations provide critical outpatient care to community members with serious and persistent mental illness and/or substance use disorder.

Each Focus has additional eligibility requirements. If you’re considering applying, review the eligibility crosswalk for more information.

The Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Building Program is non-competitive. Because the program’s goal is to increase regional capacity for disaster behavioral health response as much as possible across Colorado, the minimum requirements for eligibility are the primary evaluation standards and can be found in Section III, Part A of the Request for Applications document. 

How to apply

1. Review the Request for Applications document in full.
   1. Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Building Program Request for Applications
2. Read Exhibits A, B, and C to learn what activities and deliverables are associated with each Focus.
   1. Exhibit A: Sample Statement of Work for Focus A: 1281
   2. Exhibit B: Sample Statement of Work for Focus B: PHEP
   3. Exhibit C: Sample Statement of Work for Focus C: SBG
3. Use Exhibit D to understand what costs are allowable under each Focus according to federal and state rules.
   1. Exhibit D: Expense Allowability Chart
4. Consult Exhibit E if you have questions about the Financial Risk Assessment.
   1. Exhibit E: Financial Risk Assessment FAQs
5. Fill out the Application Questionnaire and Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire.
   1. Application Questionnaire
      1. Attach a filled out and signed Cover Sheet and Signature Page as a PDF.
      2. Attach a copy of your organization’s W9.
   2. Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire

The required items to apply are the Application Questionnaire and Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire. They are both Google forms, and the Application Questionnaire includes a file upload request for the Cover Sheet and Signature page and your organization’s W9, which must be signed and uploaded as a PDF. Read more about how to apply, use Google Forms, and request alternative formats in the Request for Applications (RFA) document.

You must use a Google account to access the Google Forms. Read more about how to apply, use Google Forms, and request alternative formats in the Request for Applications (RFA) document.

The RFA document includes additional guidance on concepts, language, and organizations, as well as rules and statutes. You may also request technical assistance by emailing the Disaster Behavioral Health team at cdphe_dcphr_dbhteam@state.co.us. More information about technical assistance is available further down on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Frequently asked questions
• Recording of the Pre Application Conference from June 6th, 2024

Technical assistance

Email the DBH team for technical assistance at cdphe_dcphr_dbhteam@state.co.us. Technical assistance includes:

• Help accessing any required materials
• Alternative format requests for applying
• Answers to questions about eligibility, requirements, budget, and more

Technical assistance does not include:

• Specific advice or feedback on responses to the Application Questionnaire
• Coaching on evaluation criteria beyond explaining what is listed in the RFA document

Materials made available during pre-RFA period

• Introduction video
• Program overview
• RFA process overview
• Eligibility crosswalk

Schedule