Tele-Behavioral Health Grant (WI)

Tele-Behavioral Health Grant (WI)

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Amount: Up to US $50,000
Last Updated: October 14, 2025

Summary

The Tele-Behavioral Health Grant in Wisconsin aims to enhance access to tele-behavioral health services by reducing technological and geographical barriers. It seeks to support underserved populations, ensuring they receive necessary mental health care. By partnering with non-traditional sites, such as schools and community centers, the grant facilitates innovative access hubs. Funding will assist providers in acquiring technology and improving internet services, ultimately fostering continuity of care for individuals who face challenges accessing traditional behavioral health resources.

Overview

Division of Care and Treatment Services The Division of Care and Treatment Services (DCTS) manages and supports seven care and treatment facilities for people living with psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities, community mental health and substance use services, community mental health and substance use treatment services for people in the criminal justice system, and the protection of client rights for people receiving services for intellectual disabilities, mental health, and substance use. Tele-Behavioral Health The Division of Care and Treatment Services is seeking applications from behavioral health providers for funding to: Expand opportunities for people to access tele-behavioral health services. Reduce the technology and location barriers that exist for many people to access tele-behavioral health services. Reduce disparities in access to behavioral health care for underserved populations. Tele-behavioral health can maintain continuity of care and preserve the patient-provider relationship when in-person visits are not possible. It can also fill gaps in access to behavioral health care caused by shortages of providers. Wisconsin Medicaid updated its policies during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow Medicaid members to receive telehealth services from an originating site (see ForwardHealth Topic #22739). An originating site is defined as where the patient or member is located, including a home, pharmacy, homeless shelter, assisted living provider, and/or school (previously, only hospitals, nursing homes, and physician offices were designated as originating sites for care) Some communities still face barriers in accessing tele-behavioral health services. Access to technology and broadband can present barriers for certain populations, including older adults, the economically disadvantaged, and people who live rural areas. DHS is addressing these barriers by funding behavioral health care providers who provide or plan to provide services in areas of Wisconsin that lack behavioral health care. Agencies awarded grants under this funding opportunity must partner with non-traditional sites to establish tele-behavioral access hubs. Non-traditional sites include schools, pharmacies, long-term care facilities, public libraries, community centers, homeless shelters, food pantries, and other publicly accessible locations in underserved areas. Grant funds can be used to purchase technology for the provider and non-traditional site, install and maintain internet service, support for using the technology, and remodel spaces.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Nonprofit and for-profit organizations doing business in Wisconsin Agencies from federally recognized Tribal nations in Wisconsin Wisconsin county agencies Federally qualified health centers located in Wisconsin