The Behavioral Health Workforce Development Technical Assistance (BHWD TA) Program, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aims to provide specialized technical assistance to recipients of HRSA-funded Behavioral Health Workforce Development programs. The program is designed to support organizations that train behavioral health professionals and paraprofessionals, ensuring they receive tailored guidance and resources to strengthen the mental health and substance use disorder workforce. Through the development and dissemination of training materials, collaborative partnerships, and innovative workforce support strategies, the BHWD TA Program seeks to enhance the quality, accessibility, and impact of behavioral health education and training.

The primary objective of the program is to support recipients of HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Programs for both professionals and paraprofessionals, as well as the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program. The program will provide training, resource-sharing, and individualized technical assistance to help these recipients expand the number of highly trained behavioral health providers across the nation, with a particular focus on high-need, high-demand areas such as rural and medically underserved communities.

The BHWD TA Program will be funded as a cooperative agreement, with HRSA playing an active role in consulting on strategic direction, approving project activities, and monitoring progress. The total available funding for FY 2025 is $2,499,000, with a single award expected to be issued. The funding period will cover four 12-month budget periods from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2029. Applicants are expected to propose initiatives that align with HRSA’s broader mission of addressing workforce shortages and enhancing behavioral health service delivery.

Eligibility for the program includes health professions schools, academic health centers, state or local governments, and other public or private nonprofit entities that provide training and academic support to health professionals. Eligible organizations must be accredited or approved by national, state, or tribal governing bodies to provide behavioral health-related training. Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2025, through Grants.gov. A single applicant may only submit one application per Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and no cost-sharing or matching funds are required for eligibility.

Applicants must prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing their project’s purpose, approach, expected outcomes, and plans for sustainability beyond the federal funding period. The program requires a high level of engagement in technical assistance activities, including developing evidence-based training, creating a public-facing website with resources, forming learning collaboratives, and implementing data collection protocols to assess program effectiveness. Evaluation criteria for applications will be based on purpose and need, response to program requirements, impact, resource capabilities, and budget justification.

The program’s anticipated timeline includes an application deadline of March 3, 2025, with award notifications expected by September 1, 2025. The grant recipient will be responsible for reporting on program progress, data collection, and financial expenditures in alignment with HRSA’s performance reporting requirements. HRSA will monitor the recipient’s compliance with grant conditions and programmatic goals throughout the funding period​.