PAR-25-289
Navigator Emergency Department Diversion Models for Non-Urgent Mental Health Concerns (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
Summary
Navigator Emergency Department Diversion Models for Non-Urgent Mental Health Concerns
Research Focus
This funding opportunity targets a critical gap in mental health service delivery: up to 40% of youth emergency department (ED) visits involve non-urgent mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, maladaptive behaviors) where families lack access to timely community mental health services. NIMH seeks research testing patient navigation models—evidence-based interventions delivered by mental health providers, nurses, or lay providers (peers, community health workers)—that divert youth from EDs and connect families to appropriate care. Navigator models should triage mental health acuity, provide emotional support and psychoeducation to caregivers, facilitate linkages to mental health services and wraparound resources (housing, food, financial support), and systematically address barriers to help-seeking. Research should employ rigorous designs (randomized controlled trials, Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials [SMART], Multiphase Optimization Strategy [MOST] factorial designs) to test effectiveness, identify mechanisms of action, and determine for whom and under what conditions these models work. Studies must include research-practice partnerships, quantify implementation resource requirements, and demonstrate scalability and sustainability potential.
At-a-Glance
- Who can apply: Not stated (see full FOA for institutional eligibility)
- Funding & project length: Not stated in excerpt
- Award mechanism: R01 Clinical Trial Required (Research Project Grant)
- Key dates: Applications due February 5, 2025 (earliest); subsequent cycles through October 5, 2027; expiration January 8, 2028
- Best fit for: Implementation science, health services research, child/adolescent mental health; teams combining academic researchers with ED and community mental health practice partners; populations include youth up to 18 years, caregivers, underserved and racial/ethnic minority groups
Key Facts
Deadline
Fri, January 7, 2028
Posted
Mon, November 25, 2024
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (4)
This R01 mechanism explicitly requires a clinical trial design, which is a non-standard constraint for R01 grants that typically allow various methodologies. Applicants proposing non-trial designs wil
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Source Text
“Navigator Emergency Department Diversion Models for Non-Urgent Mental Health Concerns (R01 Clinical Trial Required)”
The NOFO requires 'clearly operationalized research-practice partnerships that inform study design and ensure findings that can be readily put into practice.' This is a mandatory structural component
90%
Source Text
“Projects should include clearly operationalized research-practice partnerships that inform study design and ensure findings that can be readily put into practice.”
NIMH will prioritize applications proposing scalable approaches not dependent on research resources or extensive external expert consultation, which could disqualify highly specialized or resource-int
85%
Source Text
“NIMH will prioritize applications that propose scalable approaches that are not dependent on research resources or extensive consultation and support from outside experts.”
Applicants are required to systematically quantify implementation resources (provider qualifications, training, supervision, delivery time/burden), which is a specific deliverable requirement that may
88%
Source Text
“The scope of work should include systematically quantifying the resources necessary to implement the navigator approach (e.g., provider qualifications, training and supervision requirements, delivery time and burden).”