Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health Grant

Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation
Amount: US $100,000 - US $150,000
Last Updated: July 23, 2025

Summary

The Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health grant program, funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, aims to enhance access to mental health services for adults facing mild to moderate distress. With funding up to $100,000 for planning and $150,000 for implementation, this initiative supports community organizations in delivering low-intensity psychological interventions like Problem Management Plus (PM+). Additionally, it offers training and technical assistance to ensure effective service delivery.

Overview

NOTE: Full proposals (only for organizations whose LOIs have been accepted and invited to apply) Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health The Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health is a multi-year grant program that will provide a year of funding for an initial planning year (with funding available up to $100,000 per organization) followed by implementation over years two and three (with funding available up to $150,000 yearly). Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health will fund community-based organizations to improve access to community-based mental health services for adults experiencing mild to moderate mental health distress and practical problems of daily living. Under this program, staff members of community-based organizations will be equipped to deliver mental health support in the community by teaching basic concepts and skills that enable individuals to address and deal with issues of immediate concern to them. This grant program will utilize a community-based low-intensity psychological intervention known as Problem Management Plus (PM+). The intervention was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to address mental health treatment gaps in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to grant funding, the program will provide training, technical assistance, coaching, implementation, and evaluation support to organizations that are interested in developing and implementing Problem Management Plus (PM+) services within their organizations.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Application Details

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation
2025- 2027
Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health Grant Program
Letter of Interest
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation Mission
The mission of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation (BCBSMA
Foundation) is to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth
who are economically, racially, culturally, or socially marginalized. Achieving the mission
requires a focus on three major aspects of equitable access: Coverage and Care, Behavioral
Health and Structural Racism and Racial Inequities in Health. You can review our goals and
theory of change here.
The Foundation defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Background
Access to behavioral health services continues to be a significant challenge in
Massachusetts, as it is across the country. There is a behavioral health workforce shortage,
and at the same time, an increased need for behavioral health services.1 There are also
concerns about the need to increase the linguistic, racial, and cultural diversity of the
behavioral health workforce to better meet the needs of community members.2
There are evidence-based practices that Massachusetts can adopt to expand access to
mental health services, specifically for individuals who need “low-intensity psychological
interventions.”3 These interventions can be delivered by community members who have
been trained in the delivery of basic mental health services without the intensive training
required of individuals traditionally considered part of the clinical behavioral health
workforce (e.g., social workers, licensed mental health counselors, psychologists,
psychiatrists). The rationale underpinning these interventions is that community members
who have been appropriately trained and supervised can effectively deliver low-intensity
1 See, for example, https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/02/15/boston-behavioral-health-hospitals-clinics and
https://www.bluecrossmafoundation.org/publication/behavioral-health-during-first-year-covid-19-pandemic-update-
need-and-access-0.
2 See for example, https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2022/Addressing-the-Lack-of-Diversity-in-the-
Mental-Health-Field
3 Low-intensity psychological interventions are brief, accessible, and often self-guided treatments designed to
address mild to moderate mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. They utilize less complex
interventions and can be delivered by less specialized staff, making them easier to implement and scale up.
1

mental health interventions that are socially and culturally relevant for those in their
communities.
From 2022-2025, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation funded a multi-
year initiative to train community-based organization staff to provide community members
with low-intensity mental health services and support. The Foundation will fund a second
cohort of this grant program beginning in 2025.
Program Overview
Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health, the Foundation’s grant program in
behavioral health, utilizes a community-based intervention known as Problem Management
Plus (PM+)4. PM+ is designed to support community members exposed to adversity in their
day-to-day lives to learn tools and skills to manage mental health stressors and provide
community-based referrals for those who are at risk of developing or experiencing severe
mental health challenges.
The PM+ intervention aims to overcome traditional barriers of access to mental health
services, especially for economically, racially, culturally, or socially marginalized individuals.
It allows staff members of community-based organizations to deliver support in the
community, focusing on teaching basic concepts and skills that enable individuals to
address and deal with issues of immediate concern to them.
The goal of this program is two-fold:
1. Improve and increase access to community-based mental health services for
individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health distress and practical
problems of daily living.
2. Develop the skills of a non-clinical workforce to support community members in
addressing mild to moderate mental health distress and practical problems of daily
living.
Under this grant program, the BCBSMA Foundation and its collaborators (Partners in Health,
The Family Van, and the Institute for Community Health) will provide training, technical
assistance, and implementation support to organizations selected to develop and
implement PM+ services through the grant program.
Learning From the First Cohort
The first round of the ACDMH program funded five community-based organizations (CBOs)
to adapt PM+ to their contexts and implement it with their clients. At least three staff
members at each CBO were trained to deliver PM+, and over the first implementation year,
clinical supervisors observed notable growth in providers’ comfort and skills with respect to
delivering the PM+ program. Enrolled clients were racially, ethnically, and linguistically
4 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MSD-MER-16.2
2

diverse, and most had an annual household income of less than $25,000. Clients entered
the program reporting problems related to families and social groups, daily activities, and
physical health, among other issues. For clients who completed the program, there were
statistically significant improvements in mental health outcomes, including reduced
severity of depression symptoms and reduced impact of problems on their daily lives.
CBOs also shared other observed impacts including improvements in providers’ patience,
empathy, and communication, and improvements in clients’ ability to manage challenges.
Overall, evaluation results show that through ACDMH, the PM+ intervention has been
effectively adapted to a range of Massachusetts settings. CBOs served diverse participants
and generated positive outcomes that are similar to what has been reported in international
settings.
About Problem Management Plus
Problem Management Plus (PM+)5 was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO)
as a “low-intensity psychological intervention" to address mental health treatment gaps in
low- and middle-income countries. PM+ enables people without formal clinical training to
manage common mental health conditions for adults living in or experiencing adversity and
aims to reduce problems that community members identify as being of concern to them.
Global evidence demonstrates the efficacy of PM+ in reducing psychological distress when
delivered to individuals or groups.6 As a low-acuity intervention, PM+ is designed to
address mild mental health symptoms related to depression and anxiety. For conditions of
a higher level of acuity –serious and persistent mental health issues and/or co-occurring
mental health and substance use disorders – an organization providing PM+ must have
relationships with other behavioral health organizations to whom they can refer individuals.
In Massachusetts, we are fortunate that various services address behavioral health needs
within a community context, such certified peer specialists, recovery coaches, and
community health workers. The intent of PM+ is not to compete with these other services
but to equip these front-line professionals and other community-based organizations and
staff with new skills and strategies to address common mental health conditions and
reduce problems that clients identify as concerns.
How does PM+ work?
PM+ is a brief, individual mental health intervention for adults. It includes one initial
assessment session, and five intervention sessions focused on four strategies:
(1) stress management,
(2) problem-solving,
(3) behavioral activation, and
(4) strengthening social support, as well as planning to stay well.
5 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MSD-MER-16.2
6 See, for example, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2583388
3

The approach is client-led (clients choose the problems they would like to address) and
involves learning problem management skills alongside coping strategies to better manage
and reduce the mental health impacts of adversity. In combining these strategies, PM+ can
address mental health symptoms (e.g., stress, fear, anxiety, depression, feelings of
helplessness) and, where possible, solve practical problems (e.g. unemployment,
interpersonal conflict in the family).
Funding Overview
The new cohort of the Advancing Community Driven Mental Health program is a two-year
grant program beginning in December 2025 and ending in December 2027. The first year
includes a planning and training phase and an implementation phase, with funding available
up to $100,000 per organization. Year two continues the implementation begun in the first
year, with funding available up to $100,000 for the second and final year.
Goals
Year One: Program Planning, Training & Implementation
During the first year, funded organizations will participate in program planning, PM+ training
and will begin to implement the PM+ intervention with clients in their community.
Key activities include:
● Integrating the PM+ project into the organization’s existing program structure.
● Developing appropriate workflows and systems for implementation of PM+, including
adaptation of the intervention and materials as needed to the local context of the
organization.
● Identifying a clinical referral pathway for acute/severe mental health and/or
substance use disorders.
● Identifying 6-8 front line staff members who have direct contact with the
populations to be trained in the PM+ intervention.
● Participating in Mental Health First Aid training for key staff who will be interacting
with the PM+ program, including the trained PM+ providers, between February and
April 2026.
● Participating in five days of in-person PM+ intervention training for staff in May or
June of 2026.
● Identifying, developing, and launching the organization’s community engagement
and recruitment strategies.
● Launch PM+ intervention by July 2026 (see below for more detail).
● Participating in 4 virtual and up to 2 in-person Learning Collaboratives throughout
2026.
● Participating in program monitoring and evaluation, in collaboration with the grant
program’s evaluator, Institute for Community Health throughout 2026.
4

Year Two: PM+ Intervention Implementation
Cohort 2 Organizations will:
● Identify and screen community members who could benefit from the PM+ program.
Once community members are determined to be interested and eligible, staff will
conduct the PM+ intervention series of 5 sessions and/or refer community members
to specialized mental health or substance use disorder services if needed. The
expectation is that a minimum of 70 clients enroll and complete the intervention by
the end of the grant period.
● Continue to develop and deepen community engagement and recruitment
strategies.
● Participate in 4 virtual and up to 2 in-person Learning Collaboratives.
● Participate in ongoing program evaluation and tracking.
Training, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation
• Organizations will receive training, technical assistance, and mentorship throughout
the program.
• The Foundation will convene grant partners virtually and in person for Learning
Collaboratives to foster shared learning. Grant partners will be expected to share
their experiences in establishing PM + with their peers.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
The Foundation will only consider organizations that meet the following criteria:
● 501 (c)(3) organizations - if an organization does not have its own tax-exempt
designation, it must provide proof of tax-exempt designation for a fiscal agent.
● Nonprofit organizations that primarily serve people who have been socially,
economically, culturally, or racially marginalized.
● Community-based non-clinical organizations that provide direct social or
community services to individuals and families.
● Community-based organizations with strong, trusting relationships with community
members and cultural and linguistic ability to connect with their populations.
● Community-based organizations whose staff are reflective of their service
population.
In addition, applicant organizations must:
● Review ACDMH Organizational Readiness Assessment available on ACDMH website
to determine your organization’s readiness to implement PM+ and participate in the
program.
● Demonstrate commitment from senior leadership to support program and staff
participation
5

● Employ or contract with a licensed mental health professional or organization with a
licensed mental health professional that can serve as the clinical supervisor. The
clinical supervisor is required to participate in PM+ trainings and hold regular
supervision with PM+ trained staff.
● Be willing to have 6-8 staff participate in the PM+ training.
● Be willing to participate in virtual and in-person implementation support meetings
offered by technical assistance partners.
● Be willing to participate in virtual and in-person convenings facilitated by the
Foundation.
● Be able and willing to partner with the Foundation to evaluate the initiative, including
data collection.
Program Partners
This program will have three technical assistance program partners that will collaborate
with the Foundation. Partners In Health and The Family Van will provide expertise, training,
and curriculum development to help grant partners adopt and implement the PM+ model
successfully. The Institute for Community Health will evaluate the program. In addition, grant
partners from the previous grant cohort will provide mentorship and support to the second
cohort of grant partners.
● Partners in Health
o Partners In Health’s (PIH) mission statement is to provide a preferential
option for the poor in health care. PIH strives to achieve two overarching
goals: to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need
of them and to serve as an antidote to despair.
o PIH adapted PM+ through a cross-site process and piloted it in Rwanda, Peru,
Mexico, Malawi, and Lesotho from 2016 to 2023, and it continues to be
delivered across all these settings.
● The Family Van
o The Family Van’s mission is to educate, counsel, and assist community
members in strengthening and protecting their bodies, minds, and
communities by increasing access to health care and improving the health of
residents in Boston's most underserved communities. The Family Van
empowers community members by improving health literacy and providing
preventive screenings in a welcoming and non-judgmental environment.
o In 2021, with support from a BCBSMA Foundation Special Initiatives grant, The
Family Van launched Healthy Roads, a program adapted from the PM+ model
to reduce the stigma of mental health care while increasing access to high-
quality, culturally, and linguistically responsive care. Healthy Roads helps
those struggling with social isolation, stress, and adversity learn new coping,
6

problem-solving, and help-seeking skills while also providing referrals to
specialized care for those who are experiencing acute and severe mental
health distress.
● Institute for Community Health
o Institute for Community Health (ICH) is a nonprofit consulting organization
that provides participatory evaluation, applied research, assessment,
planning, and data services. ICH helps health care institutions, government
agencies, and community-based organizations improve their services and
maximize program impact.
o ICH will evaluate the Advancing Community Driven Mental Health grant
program.
Key Dates and Submission Requirements
All applications must be submitted via the Foundation’s online grantmaking portal.
Please note: The Foundation is moving to a new grant application portal. The portal for the
ACDMH LOI will open June 18, 2025.
LOI Narrative Questions are listed below for your reference. Please start your application in
a word document and then copy and paste the text into the online application. Budget
templates can be downloaded from the portal, filled out, then uploaded.
We will update the Foundation website and the ACDMH webpage with the portal link on
June 18th.
All users will need to register with the new portal. Registration approval can take up to 48
hours. We encourage interested applicants to set up their registration early.
Date Activity
June 11, 2025 Request for Letters of Interest (LOI) Released
June 18, 2025 Applicant Webinar Register here
June 18, 2025 Online LOI application opens
Wednesday, July 2, 9:00 Office Hours
a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Jacquie Anderson will also hold office hours over Zoom to answer
Thursday July 3, 12:00 p.m – questions. Please register for any of the following times to “stop in”
3:00 p.m and ask a question.
Thursday July 10, 9:00 a.m. -
12:00 p.m.
7

Thursday, July 17, 12:00 p.m.
– 3:00 p.m.
July 24 , 2025 Letters of Interest Due by 12 Noon EST. An LOI to determine
invitations for the Full Proposal is due by 12 Noon EST. Please
submit your answers to the LOI’s questions via the Foundation's
online portal. You will receive an automated confirmation email
once an LOI has been successfully submitted through the portal
system.
End of August Notifications: Twelve organizations that submitted an LOI will be
invited to submit a Full Proposal.
September 26, 2025 Full Proposals Due by 12 Noon EST (only for organizations whose
LOIs have been accepted and invited to apply): Please submit
proposals via the Foundation’s online portal.
October 14 – 17 Site Visits
December 2025 Grant Awards Announced
January 2026 Grant Program Begins
8

LOI Narrative
Character limit includes spaces.
Organizational Alignment (3,000 character limit)
● What interests you about the PM+ model of service? How will it benefit your
organization and the population you serve? How does it align with the mission of
your organization?
Service Model (3,000 character limit)
● What types of community-based services does your organization provide? How are
the services provided? (i.e., one-time visits; returning for multiple services/visits;
ongoing relationships)? How do you imagine PM+ fitting into your services and
service delivery model?
Population of Focus (3,000 character limit)
● What are the characteristics of adult (18+) individuals that access your services?
Please include in your answer your experience working with those who are
economically, racially, culturally, or socially marginalized. Please indicate how many
people your organization serves on average per month. Describe your ability to meet
your service population’s language needs, including the languages your services are
typically offered in.
Outreach and Access (2,500 character limit)
● Describe how individuals know about your services. Once people know of your
services, how do they access your services? (i.e., referrals, walk-ins, virtual, or
another method?) What outreach strategies do you use to inform community
members about your services?
Program Management and Staffing (3,000 character limit)
● Explain your current staffing capacity to implement this program. Who do you
anticipate will be the organizational champions for this program? Who are the
individuals that will lead this effort, and what factors predict their ability to achieve
success? How will you identify these individuals? Please include backgrounds of
potential staff/current roles of staff who may be involved in the project.
Clinical Supervision and Referral Pathway (3,000 character limit)
● The PM + model requires clinical supervision and a referral pathway for more acute
mental health needs and/or substance use disorder.
o Please describe your relationship with licensed mental health clinicians in
your community who may be interested in providing consulting supervision
to those trained in PM+.
9

o Please describe your organization’s existing mental health and substance use
disorder services or relationship with community organizations that provides
these services for community members that may be able to serve as a
source of referral.
Additional Documents
a. Organization Budget: Upload your organization’s board or department-approved
budget for the most recent full year.
b. Tax Exempt Letter: Upload your organization’s IRS 501c3 letter.
10