CFDA 93.959: Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services (MHBG)
Federal block grants to states and territories supporting community mental health services for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. The largest federal mental-health funding stream after Medicaid.
What this CFDA funds
Community-based mental health services including crisis stabilization, ACT, peer support, supported employment, supported education, family psychoeducation, and other evidence-based practices. The 10% set-aside funds first-episode psychosis (FEP) early-intervention programs through the Coordinated Specialty Care model.
What winning applicants look like
State mental health agencies pass funds to community mental health centers, FQHCs with integrated behavioral health, and 501(c)(3) ACT teams. The 10% FEP set-aside has expanded the role of academic medical centers and university-affiliated CSC programs.
Common pitfalls + things to know
Block-grant compliance includes 17 required performance metrics and substantial reporting (TEDS, MHBG Application). Allowable services are tightly scoped — primary care isn't allowable, supportive housing only with strict caveats. Match is typically not required but state maintenance-of-effort obligations are.
Related CFDAs to also explore
- CFDA 93.243 — SAMHSA Mental Health Services Projects
- CFDA 93.150 — PATH — Homelessness
- CFDA 93.788 — Opioid Affected Youth and Families
Reference guides
Evergreen explainers for nonprofit grant offices and federal grant seekers.
- Federal Grants for Nonprofits: A 2026 Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations — CFDA prefixes, applicant-type code 12, forecasts, the deadline trap.
- The Grants.gov Search Guide: How to Actually Find Federal Grants in 2026 — practical filter walkthrough, native-vs-paid tool comparison.
- → All Grant Wire articles
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Always verify in the official source. CFDA program details, eligibility, and award ranges change with each annual NOFO cycle. Confirm at sam.gov/content/assistance-listings or the agency's program office before you build an application strategy. This page is editorial reference, not an official agency notice.