Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET): Learning Health Care Research to Improve Mental Health Services and Outcomes (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 24 105

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 24 105

The Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET): Learning Health Care Research to Improve Mental Health Services and Outcomes funding opportunity (RFA-MH-24-105) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant that uses the P01 mechanism (Program Project Grant) to support coordinated, multi-project research aimed at improving services and outcomes for people experiencing early psychosis. It is positioned as a continuation and expansion of earlier EPINET-related efforts, but with a structure designed to fund multiple linked projects under one umbrella program, allowing teams to tackle real-world implementation issues and open clinical questions at the same time. The Clinical Trial Optional designation means applicants may propose studies with or without clinical trials, depending on what best fits their research aims.

The core focus is learning health care research in early psychosis, meaning the work is expected to connect research directly to routine service delivery and use ongoing data and feedback to improve care over time. The initiative supports separate research projects in two main areas. First, it prioritizes promoting measurement-based care in real-world treatment settings, emphasizing the routine use of standardized measures to guide clinical decisions, track symptoms and functioning, and adjust services based on patient progress. Second, it targets unanswered questions about early intervention in psychosis, including the development and testing of new approaches that can improve patient engagement (getting people connected to and staying involved in care), sustain treatment gains over time (preventing relapse and maintaining functional improvements), and advance equity across the full care pathway. Equity is explicitly framed broadly, covering equitable treatment access, equitable service delivery, and equitable clinical and functional outcomes, which signals a strong interest in research that addresses disparities affecting historically underserved or marginalized communities.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education. The opportunity is also open to nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education), as well as for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible agencies of the federal government. In short, NIH is signaling that it wants strong participation from community-rooted providers and institutions that serve diverse populations, alongside academic and health system partners.

Foreign eligibility is restricted in a specific way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or elements when they are scientifically justified and comply with NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the primary applicant.

Administratively, the opportunity falls under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 93.242 and is offered by NIH. The original closing date listed is March 29, 2024. The award ceiling is shown as $1,000,000, indicating a maximum annual or project cap as presented in the listing (applicants would still need to follow the FOA details for budgeting rules, project period expectations, and how multiple projects/cores are budgeted under a P01). The overall intent is to build practical, scalable knowledge that improves early psychosis care as it is actually delivered, while producing evidence that helps systems keep people engaged, maintain long-term gains, and reduce inequities in access and outcomes.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET): Learning Health Care Research to Improve Mental Health Services and Outcomes (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA MH 24 105

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