The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) today issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop eight treatment teams that will work with vulnerable New Yorkers living with mental illness, including people transitioning from inpatient care and long-term homeless people living on the streets and in the subway system.

The RFP will provide $30 million over five years to create eight teams utilizing an approach known as Critical Time Intervention (CTI). Six of the teams will work with individuals who are transitioning to the community after receiving inpatient care at a psychiatric facility. This is a critical time for a service recipient and many often don’t continue receiving the services they need.

The six Care Transition and Support Teams (CTSTs), made up of behavioral health professionals and peers, will promote continuity of care and ensure individuals remain connected to services. Two other teams, using the Critical Time Intervention model, will engage people with mental illness living on the street and in the subway system.

“This RFP will fund treatment techniques that are proven to be effective,” said OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “The Care Transition and Support Teams concept helps people who are leaving inpatient care by connecting them to services in their own communities. This model has been shown to reduce ER visits and readmissions and improve health outcomes. Another vulnerable group, long-term homeless people with mental illness who are living on the streets and in the subway system, present additional challenges.  But the teams created through this RFP will reach out to these individuals directly and bring the services they need to them.”

The CTI approach has been successfully used in the past to help veterans, people with mental illness, people who are homeless or involved with the criminal justice system and other groups. 

Care Transition and Support Teams must partner with and be very knowledgeable about the continuum of behavioral health treatment services, housing options, benefits, and support services available.  CTSTs must use data to help support recipients such as the use of PSYCKES when determining the best treatment services and supports necessary to promote the recipient’s community tenure and recovery.

The Request for Proposals can be found on the OMH Website A total of $30 million over five years will be available. Proposals are due by March 12, 2021 and the tentative award date is April 7, 2021. For more information, contact OMH Contract Management Specialist Carol Swiderski at carol.swiderski@omh.ny.gov.