§1667c Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Grants

Summary

The Secretary, through the Administration, must make it easier and faster for Indian tribes and tribal organizations to apply for mental health and suicide-prevention grants. Tribes must be able to use non‑electronic ways to apply if needed. Tribes that serve populations with documented high suicide rates must be given special consideration for grants, even if they lack staff or infrastructure. Indian tribes and tribal organizations may apply directly and do not have to apply through a State. An “affected State” is a State that has one or more Indian tribes and uses statewide data in its grant application. “Indian population” means the number of people in that State who are Indian. An affected State’s application must show the Indian population and how it affects the statewide data, promise to spend for that Indian population an amount equal to the share the Indian population is of the State’s total population, and try to work with each tribe on youth suicide prevention. The State must report to the Secretary within 1 year about what it did. No tribe or tribal organization must provide matching (non‑Federal) funds for projects paid by these grants. The Secretary must do outreach to rural and isolated tribes, especially for telemental health. The Secretary must help tribes that cannot apply or meet program rules because of poor internet, few staff, or lack of infrastructure—especially tribes with high youth suicide, low income, big health gaps, remote locations, and little technology. The Secretary may use funds needed to do this. Any grant program serving Indian youth must train people who interact with those youth (parents, teachers, coaches, mentors) to spot suicide warning signs.