Advancing Behavioral Health in Corrections: Training and Policy Innovation Initiative

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) acknowledges the pressing challenges facing behavioral health care within correctional settings nationwide. Correctional facilities increasingly contend with complex mental health and substance use issues among incarcerated individuals, yet existing behavioral health services are consistently limited by service gaps, inconsistent institutional policies, and insufficient staff training, as revealed through research and dialogue with NIC’s Mental Health Network. These shortcomings jeopardize the rehabilitation and well-being of those in custody, while also causing elevated staff stress, burnout, and organizational instability. Through this cooperative agreement, NIC will launch a comprehensive initiative to address these systemic concerns. The project will encompass an in-depth gap analysis of behavioral health services, a rigorous review of institutional policies to ensure alignment with national standards, and robust stakeholder engagement to inform program development. Input from corrections professionals and behavioral health experts will play a pivotal role in shaping project strategies and solutions. A primary outcome of these efforts will be the creation of a dynamic behavioral health training e-course designed for correctional staff. This curriculum will draw on evidence-based best practices—including trauma-informed care, cognitive-behavioral techniques, medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, and crisis intervention strategies. By equipping staff with practical, accessible tools rooted in the realities of correctional work, the initiative will enhance staff skills, foster professional development and wellness, and ultimately contribute to a safer and more stable correctional environment.

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply. Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant, and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.