Thursday, April 10, 2025
4/10/2025
The National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control - The National Council for Behavioral Health dba the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (National Council), in partnership with the Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP), the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC), the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), and national cancer consultants, including Mass General Cancer Center, Integrated Family Wellness, and Strategic Management Services, Inc, proposes to operate a National Network to reduce commercial tobacco use and tobacco-related cancers among individuals with mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD). Since 2013, the National Council has operated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control (NBHN), reaching more than 3.8 million people across 10 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions, 50 states, and multiple tribes and territories. The National Council proposes to continue and expand upon NBHN, a network that includes more than 3,000 members – mental health and substance use (MH/SUD) organizations, state tobacco and cancer control programs, public health agencies, advocacy organizations, academic institutions, and state, local, tribal and territorial health departments – through mass reach health communications and providing training and technical assistance (TTA) to CDC-funded and other programs/partners. The National Council’s proposed project strategies and activities will be tailored to meet the needs of individuals with MH/SUD and other populations of focus. By the end of the five-year period, NBHN expects increases in the following performance outcome measures: participation and engagement in five communities of practice with community leaders, partners from critical sectors, subject matter experts, coalitions, and network members, establishing multi-level, multi-sectoral partnerships that advance action planning and priority setting; leverage resources and engage in TTA to address the needs of individuals with MH/SUD; knowledge of National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) and National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP), and other state, local, tribal, territorial, and community partners of evidence-based/promising practice (EB/PP) policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to advance health equity by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH); implementation of EB/PP PSE interventions, and innovative interventions to advance equitable health outcomes in state programs, MH/SUD organizations, and partners; design, implementation, and dissemination of national, state, and local mass reach health communications to advance health equity. At the end of the five-year project period, we expect a decrease in incidence of health disparities, specifically in advanced-stage disease among individuals with MH/SUD and the number of states and organizations that do not implement EB/PP PSE interventions and innovative interventions to advance equitable health and close the disparity gap of tobacco use between the general population and individuals with MH/SUD.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).