Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-25-068
Application submission
Eligibility
Accreditation
Use of BHWET funds
Internships and field placements
Funding preference and priority
NOFO clarifications
Application submission
How do I access the webinar?
You can watch the recording of the BHWET webinar.
I received the following message when uploading the second Program Data Form in Workspace: The form selected to upload was updated after you downloaded the form. If you continue with the upload, you will overwrite previous updates. Do you want to continue?
After submitting the online form for the first discipline, download the form for each additional discipline and add it as an attachment. The additional forms will not count towards the page limit.
Can I apply for both Graduate Psychology Education and BHWET grants?
Yes. Eligible institutions can apply for both BHWET Pro and GPE. The eligibility and documentation requirements are different, so make sure you meet the requirements in each funding opportunity. Applicants cannot receive funds for BHWET Pro and GPE for the same training program. The training programs must be distinct, separate programs. We cannot guide institutions on the content of the application.
Note: If awarded, students may not receive both a BHWET Pro and GPE stipend at the same time.
I receive an error message when attempting to complete the application on Grants.gov. Who should I contact for help?
Grants.gov provides 24/7 support. You can call 1-800-518-4726 or email grants support. Keep a record of your ticket number.
Does my biographical sketch count toward the page limit? How many pages can it be?
Biographical sketches do not count toward the page limit. Include no more than two pages per person for people who will hold the key positions.
Please clarify whether the goals and objectives should be copied in the SWP form.
The program goal and objectives as specified in the Program Description section must be stated in the SWP form. You may include additional objectives if they support your proposed project. All program requirements must be addressed by the objectives. Refer to the Standardized Work Plan form in the Form Instruction section of the funding opportunity for more details.
Can we have key personnel consult on two grant applications if they are submitted by different institutions?
Yes, provided the time commitment allows participation in both.
Can project staff serve more than one role on the grant?
Yes. Project staff may take on multiple roles, provided that their time commitment to the project and payment from HRSA funds for each is clearly defined and within applicable guidelines.
Can a project have more than one Project Director?
No. HRSA recognizes only one person as the Project Director (also sometimes referred to as the Principal Investigator).
How should I submit Attachment 8?
Submit Attachment 8 via Word Document, Spreadsheet, or PDF. An Excel spreadsheet is allowable. See 3.2.6. in the R&R application guide. Note, when we print your application, documents will print as you have formatted them. If you use Excel or other spreadsheets, reviewers will only see information that is set in the “Print Area.”
Which version of the BHW Program Specific Form is required for the application?
You are required to submit the BHW Program Specific Form (B) [V1.0].
The “Other Required Forms” hyperlink in the BHWET solicitation on page 21 opens to a restricted webpage that requires credentials. How can I access this link?
You will need to complete some other forms. You can find them in the funding opportunity application package or at Grants.gov Forms.
Eligibility
Should current BHWET-Children, Adolescent and Young Adult (BHWET-CAY) grantees apply as a competing continuation applicant?
No. Current BHWET-CAY (HRSA-23-131) recipients should apply as a new application. Only current recipients of the BHWET Program for Professionals (HRSA-21-089) are eligible for competing continuation applications if there is not a change in scope.
Can individuals apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible for this funding opportunity.
How do I determine if my organization is eligible?
Please see the Review section of the funding opportunity for eligibility. Your program must meet the requirements listed in the Program Requirements and Expectations section. The funding opportunity does not include 2- or 4-year undergraduate degree programs.
Are certification programs eligible?
No. BHWET Pro does not fund certification programs. Eligible programs can be found in the Eligibility section in the funding opportunity.
Are PhD students enrolled in Counselor Education and Supervision programs eligible?
No. Only counseling programs listed in the Eligibility section in the funding opportunity are acceptable and must align with the overall aim of the program to increase the behavioral health workforce and access to behavioral health services.
We will not receive our official accreditation letter until after the funding opportunity deadline. Can we apply?
Yes. Applicants must provide a copy of active accreditation, with the start and expiration dates, or provisional accreditation to be eligible for BHWET Pro funding. Programs in the process of obtaining accreditation or with a current accreditation status of “Intent to Apply” are not eligible.
The APA is scheduled to complete our site visit and review for reaccreditation after our current expiration date. Are we eligible to apply?
Yes. Your current APA accreditation status is valid through the reaccreditation review period. Programs that are under review for reaccreditation by APA and have not received site visits at the time of their accreditation expiration date will be considered eligible for this program. Programs that are not APA accredited but are currently under review will not be considered eligible for this program. Programs with an APA status of “Intent to Apply” who do not currently have an active accreditation are also not considered eligible. Contact APA for additional questions regarding the reaccreditation process.
How does HRSA define transitional age youth and young adult for the purposes of this application?
HRSA defines transitional age youth/young adult as individuals 16 to 24 years old, falling between older adolescence (15 to 16) and young adulthood (24 to 26).
Can we apply if our program has multiple disciplines?
Yes. The program requirements allow for numerous eligible disciplines as listed in the Eligibility section of the funding opportunity. Each program must meet all the requirements in the Program Requirements and Expectations section.
Accreditation
Are clinical psychology MA programs eligible for the BHWET grant?
Yes. Clinical psychology MA programs are eligible if they are accredited institutions of higher education or accredited professional training programs that are establishing or expanding internships or other field placements in psychology.
What qualifies for state approval of a behavioral health-related training program?
You must have documentation from your state indicating that your organization is otherwise licensed, certified, or authorized by an authorized political subdivision or instrumentality of a state to provide training in behavioral health.
Do postdoctoral fellowships need to be accredited by the APA to be eligible?
Yes. If your training program intends to support postdoctoral psychology trainees, you must also be an APA-accredited postdoctoral program. Learn more from the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Use of BHWET funds
Can I provide supervisor stipends to supervisors who are not supervising BHWET-funded trainees, but who are engaging in the BHWET-funded program in other ways (for example, engaging in trainings that are deployed to supervisors with BHWET funding)?
No. Personnel who are paid by HRSA grant funds must be engaged in the funded project.
Can the annual fixed stipends be prorated?
No. Stipends cannot be prorated. BHWET-Pro stipends are fixed. You are not allowed to offer stipends that are less than the amounts specified. However, you may provide higher stipend amounts by including funds from other non-federal sources.
Can indirect costs be charged on trainee stipends?
Yes. Indirect costs may be charged on stipends.
Can postdoctoral fellows receive health insurance and fringe benefits under this grant?
Health insurance is an allowable cost from the second 50% (not the stipends portion). Other fringe benefits are not allowable.
If supervision is provided by PhD students, would the grant pay for costs associated with their Assistantships/Stipend and Tuition?
No. See the Supervisor Costs section of the funding opportunity.
Note: You cannot require students to pay for supervisor costs.
Can I pay for a student’s transportation to their rural placements?
Yes, from the remaining 50% (not the 50% for stipends only).
Do we need to provide our indirect cost rate documentation? If so, where do we upload this information?
Yes. Refer to the Indirect Cost section of the funding opportunity. For modified total direct costs, we use the definition at 2 CFR 200.1. State or local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes can charge their negotiated rate or use their state cost allocation plans. For calculating the indirect costs, we do not consider state universities or hospitals as government agencies. Attachments 10 to 15 can be used to upload any other documents that are relevant to the application.
Does the 50%/50% for BHWET professionals include salaries and fringe benefits?
No. Per the funding opportunity, BHWET professional applicants must provide a budget with no less than 50% of a recipient’s overall requested budget per year dedicated to, and distributed as, stipends to trainees in internships/field placements. The allowable costs for student stipends are listed in the funding opportunity. Allowable participant/trainee support costs include health insurance, travel, and training-related expenses such as attendance at professional conferences. Fringe benefits for trainees are not allowable.
Can we apply funds for the administrative/management costs to participant/trainee support for travel?
Yes. Fifty percent is for stipends only.
Can the 50% for administrative/management funds be used to offer a higher stipend amount for a doctoral student?
No. HRSA-funded stipends are fixed amounts at each tier. Any additional stipends must be funded from non-federal sources, and both the amount and sources must be specified in the budget justification. The additional amount will be included in the approved line-item budget.
Would our MSN for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner be classified as a master’s level trainee and be eligible for the $25,000 stipend?
Yes. An MSN for PMHNP who is enrolled full-time would receive a $25,000 stipend.
Are gift cards acceptable to cover participant and trainee support costs?
No. Gift cards are not allowable.
Can we pay the preceptor (clinical supervisor) directly, or should we issue the payment to the agency they work for?
Supervisor costs can be either your employee, contractor, or consultant, as specified in the section under Supervisor Costs in the funding opportunity.
What are the restrictions on the stipends concerning travel?
Apply your written institutional policy regarding travel for preceptors and supervisors. Additionally, please review the Budget Narrative section of the modified funding opportunity.
Can we use these funds to repurpose physical space for grant activities?
No. Construction is not an allowable cost. You must make your case for small alterations in the proposal. We will consider these on a case-by-case basis.
Should we adjust the salary cap for faculty on a 12-month appointment?
Yes. The salary cap applies to annual salary amounts.
Do we have to use funding for each year of the grant?
Yes. We plan to fund awards in four 12-month budget periods for a total 4-year period of performance from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2029. Your request for each of years 2, 3, and 4 cannot exceed your year 1 request.
Is the stipend amount fixed?
Yes. BHWET-Pro stipends are fixed. You are not allowed to offer stipends that are less than the amounts specified. However, you may provide higher stipend amounts by including funds from other non-federal sources.
Will the unobligated funds from the last year of our current BHWET-Pro grant roll over into the first year of the competing continuation grant?
No. Each budget year is a separate pot of money. Any unobligated balance that is over 25% of the annual award must be moved from one budget year to the next by means of a carry-over request. This also applies to a competing continuation.
Can we provide stipends through a non-payroll mechanism?
Yes. HRSA does not specify the mechanism for awarding stipends to trainees.
Can I use the stipend to pay part of a resident’s salary?
No. Stipends are not wages. HRSA-funded trainees should get the full stipend as listed in the funding opportunity in order to be part of the project.
Can I use the funds to provide stipends to other faculty/students participating in our proposed program?
No. Stipend amounts are fixed and must be provided to students that are in the disciplines listed on the funding opportunity.
What is the cost-sharing requirement for doctoral-level psychology, psychiatry, behavioral pediatrics, and psychiatric nursing internships?
The fixed stipend for internships in doctoral-level psychology, psychiatry, behavioral pediatrics, and psychiatric nursing internships is $36,500, not $32,500. A typo in the funding opportunity listed the stipend as $32,500. Cost-sharing with non-federal funds applies to expenses beyond the $36,500 stipend for these disciplines.
Internships and field placements
What is the limit on the number of training sites we can use?
The funding opportunity does not specify a maximum number of training sites. Make sure you have sufficient training sites in place to meet the approved work plan.
Can OT students complete the consecutive 6-12 months of internship across more than one host site? Does the setting need to be classified as a medically underserved community (MUC)?
Yes. The master’s and doctoral-level OT students can complete their experiential training across more than one experiential training site. The setting does not need to be classified as an MUC.
However, the purpose of the BHWET program is to increase the supply of a diverse behavioral health workforce who are trained to provide integrated behavioral health care and committed to work in high-need and high-demand areas. Attachment 3 must show that at least one of your training site locations meets the qualifications for high-need and high-demand areas as defined in this funding opportunity.
Can we use BHWET Pro funds to award stipends to PhD Clinical Psych students in either their third or fourth year?
Yes. Clinical Psychology PhD students in their final practicum who are enrolled full-time are eligible to receive a $32,500 stipend. Please note, program requirement 1 specifies prior to graduation: Provide stipend support to students who are in their final experiential training (internship or field placement) prior to graduation for no less than six consecutive months and no more than 12 consecutive months (or 24 months for part-time students).
How do we determine if a training site is eligible? Do we need an MOU for each training site?
Internship placement is up to the applicant so long as it meets the program requirements, the experiential training site definition, and the purpose of the BHWET grant. Attachment 7 is required for each organization or department involved in your proposed project.
Do all training sites need to be in a mental health HPSA?
No. Attachment 3 must show that at least one of your training site locations meets the qualifications for high-need and high-demand areas as defined in this funding opportunity.
Funding preference and priority
How does HRSA define “new program” for the funding preference?
A new program means any professional training program that has graduated or completed less than three classes. This does not include grant programs such as BHWET for Professionals, specialized tracks (e.g., master’s or doctoral level tracks when one already exists) or population focus, or rotations within a school or program. A class is defined by academic year, not cohort. If you are applying to support more than one professional training program (i.e., social work, psychiatric nursing, psychology, etc.), the preference can be met through one new program.
Do all three disciplines need to train together to qualify for the funding priority?
No. Applicants do not have to train all three professions on the same training activity or include all three professions in the scope of work proposed for this award to qualify for the priority.
Can an applicant request a funding priority and a funding preference?
Yes. Applications that meet the criteria for priority will have an additional five points added to the final score assigned by the peer review committee. If we determine that your application qualifies for a funding preference, we will move it to a more competitive position among fundable applications.
Do psychiatric nurse practitioner students qualify for priority points?
No. Training psychiatric mental health nursing practitioners would not qualify for funding priority.
Should I submit graduate data for multiple disciplines to qualify for the funding preference?
Yes. Please include graduate data for one or more discipline(s) that you propose to train in your application. Applicants with collaborative programs only need to provide data for one discipline to qualify for the funding preference.
NOFO clarifications
The following FAQs provide clarification for information that was previously published in the BHWET Pro NOFO released on October 22, 2024.
I am a current BHWET Pro grantee and plan to apply for a no-cost extension. Should I apply for a competing continuation? Does that take the place of a no-cost extension?
Recipients of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals who have funding that ends on June 30, 2025, can apply as a “Competing Continuation” applicant, so long as there is not a change in scope. If there is a change in scope, organizations should apply as a “New” applicant. It does not take the place of a no-cost extension.
Can I submit more than one proposal?
No. You may not submit more than one application per Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). If you submit more than one application under the same UEI, we will only accept the last on-time submission. More than one application may be submitted from the same organization under separate UEIs. Communication within your organization is encouraged to prevent duplication and to promote collaboration.
Do individual programs have to have specialized accreditation to apply?
Yes. Your training program must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., ACGME and CACREP), or approved by a state or tribal government to provide a behavioral health-related training program.
Is there a typo in the formula for Qualification 2: Significant increase on page 43?
Yes. There is a typo in the funding opportunity. Please use the following formula that reflects the years mentioned for Qualification 2, which states you can request funding preference for a significant increase if you can demonstrate a 25% increase of placing graduates in medically underserved communities from AY 2022-2023 and AY 2023-2024.
(# of Graduates in AY 2023-2024 Employed in MUCS/Total # of Graduates in AY 2023-2024)
MINUS
(# of Graduates in AY 2022-2023 Employed in MUCS/Total # of Graduates in AY 2022-2023) x 100