Accelerating Solutions to Improve Access and Quality of Empirically-Supported Practices for Youth Mental Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 25 310

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 310

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting R01 research grant applications under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-25-310, titled "Accelerating Solutions to Improve Access and Quality of Empirically-Supported Practices for Youth Mental Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)." The opportunity is framed as a direct response to the current youth mental health crisis in the United States and focuses on research that can measurably improve how young people access and receive evidence-based mental health services. A key emphasis is on reaching youth who are routinely underserved by existing systems, including those in rural communities, inner cities, and other under-resourced areas, as well as youth facing housing instability, food insecurity, and homelessness. The intent is not simply to create new treatments, but to improve the real-world delivery, availability, and quality of empirically supported practices so that effective care is easier to find, start, and sustain.

The research scope centers on practical, systems-oriented solutions that can reduce gaps between need and care. Projects are expected to study methods for optimizing mental health assessment, intervention, and service strategies for youth, with attention to the points where access typically breaks down. NIH is specifically interested in approaches that address common bottlenecks such as workforce shortages and long wait lists for treatment. This can include examining new staffing models, stepped-care approaches, task-sharing strategies, or workflow redesigns that allow services to reach more youth sooner without sacrificing quality. The opportunity also encourages work on improving how youth are identified and connected to care, particularly by integrating mental health treatment and prevention into everyday settings where young people are most likely to be seen and where needs can be recognized earlier. Examples of these settings include schools, social service agencies, pediatric and primary care, and the justice system.

Another major theme is removing systemic barriers that limit access and quality, meaning applicants should consider the broader environment that shapes service delivery. The NOFO highlights multiple categories of barriers that projects may address, including structural barriers (such as geography, transportation, availability of providers, or inequities in service distribution), policy barriers (rules or regulations that unintentionally restrict access or reimbursement), organizational barriers (clinic or agency procedures, referral pathways, data systems, and coordination challenges), value and financing barriers (cost, reimbursement models, insurance coverage, and sustainability), and management barriers (leadership practices, implementation supports, supervision, and quality monitoring). Overall, NIH is looking for research that produces actionable evidence about how to make proven youth mental health practices more available, more consistent, and higher quality in the places and systems youth actually use.

This is a discretionary grant program using the NIH R01 mechanism, with clinical trials listed as optional, meaning applicants may propose studies that do or do not include a clinical trial component as appropriate to their research questions. The activity category is health, associated with CFDA number 93.242. While the notice does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided text, the closing date is January 7, 2027, and the opportunity was created on December 3, 2024. As an R01, the program is generally suited to substantial, multi-year projects with rigorous designs and clear plans for generating generalizable knowledge about improving youth mental health service access and quality.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education when relevant to the category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the program places strict limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. In practice, this means the applicant organization and the work supported under the award must remain within allowable U.S.-based institutional and project structures.

Taken together, this opportunity is aimed at implementation- and services-focused research that can rapidly strengthen the youth mental health care ecosystem. Competitive applications will typically align an important youth mental health access or quality problem with a well-justified strategy for improving delivery of empirically supported practices, demonstrate clear relevance to underserved youth and settings, and directly tackle the practical constraints that prevent effective interventions from reaching young people when and where they need them.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Accelerating Solutions to Improve Access and Quality of Empirically-Supported Practices for Youth Mental Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-07.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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