The Futures Institute

Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative

Published by Prevention_Institute on

Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative

About

OMH intends projects funded under the Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative (COPHI) to develop innovative models for integrating community-based maternal support services (COMSS) into perinatal systems of care. COMSS are social and supportive services that address social determinants of health, such as health literacy; pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting education; cultural and linguistic diversity; exposure to trauma, housing; food; and transportation. Trained individuals, such as doulas and community health workers, provide these services during pregnancy, labor and delivery and after delivery. OMH expects recipients’ innovative models will improve pregnant and post-partum people’s health outcomes and reduce racial and ethnic disparities.

Eligible Uses

Projects developing innovative models for integrating community-based maternal support services into perinatal systems of care.

Grant Award

Minimum: $975,000

Maximum: $1,250,000

Eligible
Recipients

Nonprofits; City/township, county, special district, and state governments; Native American tribal organizations and federally recognized tribal governments; Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Public and State institutions of higher education; Independent school districts

Restrictions

Unknown

Due Date

July 18, 2023 at 6:00pm Eastern

Agency

Department of Health and Human Services (Office of Minority Health)

Materials Needed

Unknown

Application Difficulty

Unknown

Evidence on Investments in Health and Treatment

To implement community safety-focused programs, jurisdictions must have an adequate supply of peers and professionals who can provide voluntary, non-coercive services that support physical and mental health—and allow appropriate staffing for non-carceral crisis response and similar programs. Expanding access to basic health care has been found to reduce crime, as well as save money on legal system expenses. Research demonstrates that when the number of treatment facilities for substance use disorder increases, crime decreases in the same area. Expanded access to mental health treatment, and psychiatric treatment in particular, has been found to reduce violent crime. 

This effect is especially powerful when looking at youth. Increasing wraparound services in schools that treat physical and mental health in high risk areas have been shown to reduce juvenile arrests as well as child abuse cases. High quality afterschool programs that promote students’ health and development can reduce drug use and decrease arrests and other forms of criminal-legal involvement among children. Furthermore, early childhood intervention programs, as well as nutrition programs for newborns, are likely to reduce crime. Expanded access to mental health treatment, and to psychiatric treatment in particular, has also been found to reduce violent crime. 

Community safety cannot succeed without a robust, well-trained workforce of mental health and treatment professionals—not only because these services can reduce violence and harm, but also because physical and mental health are vitally important for safety itself. For too long, this country has taken a punishment and enforcement approach to how we address mental health, substance use, and related issues; the following investments, paired with further public health-centered policy changes, are a first step toward changing this paradigm. 

Grant Writing Resources

Grants.Gov Resources

Applicant Training Videos (step-by-step guide on how to find grants, set up an account on grants.gov, and submit an application)

Applicant FAQ page

Other Resources

Community Toolbox’s Applying For Grants Toolkit (Outline of process + example applications)

FAQs

Q: What is community safety? 

A: We use the term “community safety” as well as “non-carceral safety” to indicate an approach to reducing violence and harm that invests in people over punishment. This can include unarmed civilian first responders and community violence prevention, but must also center preventative and root-caused focused solutions such as investments in schools, healthcare, and the environment. These solutions not only create holistic safety by improving well-being, they have been directly tied to reductions in violence. 

Q: How do the grants in the American Rescue Plan and other recent bills fit into this database? 

A: This database contains grants contained both in specific legislation (like the American Rescue Plan Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, and the Inflation Reduction act) but it focuses primarily on grants funded annually through the federal budget process. Please see our resources specifically on ARPA and IIJA for more information on funding opportunities in those bills. 

Q: Where should I go if I have additional questions? 

A: Feel free to reach out to samwashington@civilrightscorps.org with questions or comments. If you’d like to suggest a grant, please fill out this form

 

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