- Q: I was in the process of filling out the application for the particular grant, my question is, is there a particular amount that I should request?
A: Per the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) IDHS: 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice (25-444-22-0631-01) (state.il.us), the Division of Mental Health anticipates that grant awards will be between $40,000 and $300,000. Your agency should request the amount that you believe will be necessary to provide the services requested in the NOFO.
- Q: My program provides mental health and psychosocial support services for refugee, immigrant, and asylum seeking youth. We are interested in applying for this opportunity, but our services would be tailored, specific services for refugee, immigrant, and asylum seeking youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system. We feel this population is exceptionally vulnerable and requires culturally and linguistically tailored mental health support. Do organizations funded by this grant have to serve any/all youth involved with the Illinois Juvenile Court System, or can we offer our tailored supports to the refugee/immigrant subset of this population?
A: A successful application that seeks to offer services to a specific subset population of a community will still need to effectively address the requirements of the application criteria as stated, in part, below:
The applicant [needs] to provide a clear and accurate picture of the need for these services within the community and how the proposed project will address these needs […] Within the proposed service area, the applicant should provide a description and anticipated scale of the population to be served and any assessment activities undertaken by the agency to identify the target population. Provide a description of need. This should include facts and evidence that support the grant program purpose by describing the proposed population relating to age, ethnicity, standard of living, and family composition.
Describe the community and/or individual needs or problems that the funding will address. Statistical evidence should be provided to support the contention of the need. Statistical evidence may include informal or formal assessments the agency uses to identify the community's or individual's need for the services to be funded.
- Q: Will we need to reapply for our 121 MHJJ and 510-FEPP grants this year? We had reapplied and been awarded the grants last year, and are unsure how we should proceed for this year?
A: All Division of Mental Health grants require a full application packet each fiscal year. You can find more information regarding the application requirements for Program 121 in the NOFO which is currently posted @ IDHS: 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice (25-444-22-0631-01) (state.il.us). We anticipate Non-Discretionary grant postings will be available early March 2024.
- Q: How do we become prequalified?
A: Section C2. Prequalification in the Program 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) covers the requirements necessary, along with links for assistance to become prequalified to receive a State of Illinois grant award.
- Q: Can you provide a link to the application template?
A: The application can be found at IDHS: GA (25-444-22-0631-01) (state.il.us).
- Q: Are Mental Health Juvenile Justice (MHJJ) staff expected to bill any fee-for-service activities or does the grant cover full costs?
A: If a provider is performing Medicaid eligible services, Medicaid would the first form of payment to the grantee. If a provider performs services related to the scope of Program 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice that are not Medicaid eligible, then they would be covered by the Program 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice grant.
- Q: If an entity wants to apply for two different areas of the state, how would you want the application to explain that? Would there be separate budgets?
A: Only one application and one budget are allowed per applicant. The applicant would need to describe within the Program Narrative the area(s) they wish to serve as well as the services to be performed at each location. Within the budget each cost listed would need to be tied to a specific area in the budget line and the budget narrative.
- Q: Our organization currently receives Program 121 Mental Health Juvenile Justice funding. Does this Discretionary grant require us to submit a new application if we want to continue our services?
A: All Division of Mental Health grants require a full application packet every year. Previous recipients of this grant award are not guaranteed to receive funding in this Discretionary cycle. If your organization is selected to receive an award, you will also be required to submit a full application packet for each renewal year.
- Q: Is there anywhere to obtain data that could be shared around numbers of youth who might qualify by location?
A: The Division of Mental Health will be looking for applicants to provide that information within their application Program Narrative.
- Q: Was the Technical Assistance (TA) Session recorded and if so, can you point me to the recording?
A: Unfortunately, we found issues with the recording. We are trying to resolve those issues. Once they are resolved we will post the recording on the TA Session page of the NOFO.
- Q: Does the MHJJ Grant require a specific credential for the provision of services? MHP or QMHP?
A: The MHJJ liaison position does not have to be a master's level clinician, but a QMHP is preferred. MHP's do qualify for linkage purposes but not for actual services as we cannot use a MHP for Medicaid billable services.
- Q: Is the Medicaid services under this MHJJ grant different than the general rule 140 service array? I ask because most Medicaid services have an MHP-billable modifier.
A: The MHJJ program NOFO asks potential grantees to propose and describe a program establishing a liaison position who functions as a point of contact between the Illinois Juvenile Court System, probation, schools, the community and the community grantee. The MHJJ liaison also provides case management with linkage to services of the juveniles referred to the program. The 121 NOFO does not cover the expenses related to the services provided to juveniles linked through this program. Therefore, any and all services to which the referred juvenile is linked would be governed by Rule 140 but are also outside of the scope of the NOFO.
