New grant funds for health centers to support individuals leaving incarceration

Health centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) may apply for up to $1 million from a new grant funding opportunity aimed at supporting incarcerated individuals scheduled for release to transition back into the community.

Grant applications are due on June 10, 2024. Learn about eligibility and application details your organization may need to consider in securing funding.

Fund overview

The $51 million fund — titled the Quality Improvement Fund Transitions in Care for Justice-Involved Populations (QIF-TJI) and announced by the Department of Health and Human Services — aims to improve access to healthcare, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment via approximately 51 community health centers.

Support is for transition of individuals from incarceration to public life 90 days prior to release to improve health outcomes, mitigate overdoses, and prevent recidivism as they reenter communities.

Who’s eligible for grant funding

Health center program H80 active award recipients currently receiving funding under Section 330(e), (g), (h), or (i) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, may apply

Eligibility details can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunities under Quality Improvement Fund.

Purpose of QIF-TJI

Per HRSA, the primary purpose of this new funding is intended to strengthen transitions in care for individuals soon to be released from incarceration and provide opportunity to access primary healthcare services in the community. This is an innovative pilot program allowing justice-involved individuals to reconnect to in-scope health center services that address their unique health and health-related social needs.

This aims to improve access to healthcare, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment via approximately 51 community health centers for those reentering the community in an effort to improve health outcomes, mitigate overdoses, and prevent recidivism.

Scope

Health centers must use funds to pilot and evaluate a project that uses patient-centered, scalable, and sustainable evidence-based models of care to support transitions in care for JI-R individuals. Each health center can apply for up to $1 million, which covers a two-year performance period from Dec. 1, 2024, through Nov. 30, 2026. The two-tier application process includes the following: