UCEDD National Training Initiative to Support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Mental or Behavioral Health Disabilities | HHS 2021 ACL AOD DDTI 0095

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DDTI 0095

The UCEDD National Training Initiative (NTI) to Support People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Mental or Behavioral Health Disabilities is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Administration on Disabilities (AoD). The program is designed to strengthen how states serve people who have both intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and co-occurring mental health or behavioral health conditions by improving cross-system workforce training and day-to-day coordination between the agencies that typically oversee these separate service systems.

Under this opportunity, ACL intended to make up to five competitive awards, each running for five years, and limited to existing University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs). The focus is not simply on creating training materials in isolation, but on building a shared training infrastructure that state partners can actually use over time. UCEDDs are expected to convene multi-disciplinary teams that include personnel from the state I/DD agency side and personnel from the state mental and behavioral health agency side. By bringing these groups together in a structured, ongoing way, the initiative aims to reduce the common fragmentation that can occur when individuals with co-occurring needs must navigate multiple systems with different eligibility rules, service philosophies, and provider networks.

The core purpose of the grant is twofold. First, it supports the development and implementation of training that is tailored to the specific needs, gaps, and priorities of participating states. That implies the work should be grounded in what state agencies and their partners identify as real-world challenges, such as inconsistent screening practices, limited provider competency in co-occurring conditions, unclear crisis pathways, or weak coordination across case management and clinical services. Second, it emphasizes improving coordination between the I/DD and mental/behavioral health agencies, not only with each other but also in collaboration with other key partners involved in the joint service landscape. In practice, that could include state Medicaid authorities, managed care entities, provider organizations, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders that influence how services are planned, financed, and delivered.

Financially, the notice listed an award ceiling of $110,000 and indicated the funding would cover the federal share of the grant costs. The assistance listing associated with the opportunity is CFDA 93.632, and the funding instrument is a grant. The opportunity number is HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DDTI-0095. The notice was created on May 27, 2021, with an original application closing date of July 26, 2021. Eligibility was limited beyond a general label of "others" to the specific category described in the full announcement, namely existing UCEDDs, which are specialized university-based entities with missions that typically blend training, research, technical assistance, and service to improve outcomes for people with developmental disabilities.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a targeted capacity-building effort: it uses UCEDDs as neutral, expert conveners to help states create durable, shared training approaches and stronger interagency alignment so that people with I/DD and co-occurring mental or behavioral health disabilities experience more coordinated, competent, and effective supports across the systems that serve them.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "UCEDD National Training Initiative to Support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Mental or Behavioral Health Disabilities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.632.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 27, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 26, 2021. (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 $110,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DDTI 0095

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