In a continued effort to assist states in transforming their mental health systems of care the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) has created the Transformation Transfer Initiative (TTI).  The TTI provides, on a competitive basis, modest funding awards to States, the District of Columbia, and the Territories not currently participating in the Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant* (T-SIG) program. 

These flexible TTI funds are to be used to identify, adopt, and strengthen transformation initiatives and activities that can be implemented in the State, either through a new initiative or expansion of one already underway, and should focus on one or multiple phases of system change.  TTI recipients are chosen on the following criteria:

• Transformation readiness, demonstrated by examples of transformation initiatives already underway using State funds, Block grant funds, other identified public or private resources;
• Existing multi-agency collaboration on transformation initiatives;
• Proposed initiatives rooted in systems change with the greatest quality impact;
• Identification of other state resources and infrastructure which may leverage the TTI award funds for the proposed initiative; and
• Realistic timeframes, concrete activities, and measurable outcomes for the proposed initiative.

For fiscal year 2010-2011, CMHS awarded TTI grants ranging from $115,000 (designated by a *** as a repeat recipient) or $221,000 (as a first time awardee) to the following twelve states:

• Delaware - Building a statewide consumer network through peer support
• Idaho - Data collection
• Kansas - Health and wellness initiative through whole health campaigns within communities
• Kentucky*** - Healthcare reform implementation
• Minnesota*** - Integration of primary care into ACT teams
• New Hampshire - Statewide implementation of ANSA and CANS
• Pennsylvania*** - Older Adult Peer Support Services
• Rhode Island - Peer support services and recovery training at CMHCs
• South Carolina - Health integration
• Tennessee*** - Family support providers within juvenile courts
• Vermont - Statewide EBP cooperative
• Virginia - Consumer and family integration into statewide and local CIT teams

These projects are ongoing and summaries will be prepared in early 2012.

There have been 35 previous awardees, representing 31 states and in excess of 35 projects over the previous three years. One or two page summaries of each of these projects are available for download.

In FY 2009-10, CMHS awarded TTI grants ranging from $115,000 (designated by a *** as a repeat recipient) or $221,000 to the following twelve states and the District of Columbia:

• Alabama*** – Health Integration
• Alaska – Telebehavioral Health and Medicaid
• Arkansas – Consumer Empowerment and Leadership Training at the Community Level
• Arizona – Whole Health Peer Support
• DC – Health Integration and Peer Support
• Florida*** – Trauma Informed Care and Peer Support
• Illinois*** – Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Collaboration
• Indiana – Recovery-Based Care at the Community Level
• Maine – Community Integration Services using a Recovery Framework
• Massachusetts – Person Centered Planning
• Mississippi – Transportation, Housing, and Co-Occurring Disorders
• Montana – Behavioral Health and Corrections Collaboration
• North Dakota*** – Transition-Aged Youth

In In FY 2008-09, CMHS awarded TTI grants averaging $221,000 to the following eleven states:

• Colorado
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New York
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

In FY 2007-08, CMHS awarded TTI grants averaging $105,000 to the following ten states and one territory:

• Kentucky
• Minnesota
• Tennessee
• Pennsylvania
• Puerto Rico
• North Dakota
• Illinois
• Florida
• Alabama
• North Carolina
• Iowa

Please contact David Miller, NASMHPD’s Project Director, with any questions or comments on the Transformation Transfer Initiative.  Mr. Miller’s contact information is as follows:

David W. Miller
Project Director
NASMHPD
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 302
Alexandria, VA  22314
(703) 682-5194
david.miller@nasmhpd.org

In addition, the final report from the second Pillars of Peer Support meeting is now available. Additional information is available at the Pillars of Peer Support website.