BJA FY 17 Second Chance Act Reentry Program for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders | BJA 2017 11483

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2017 11483

The BJA FY 17 Second Chance Act Reentry Program for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). It is designed to support state, local, and tribal governments in improving reentry services for adults leaving incarceration who face both substance use disorders and mental health disorders at the same time. The underlying idea is that many people returning from prisons and jails struggle with intertwined behavioral health needs, and without structured treatment and coordinated support, they are at higher risk of relapse, homelessness, crisis events, and re-arrest. By funding targeted reentry programming, the initiative aims to strengthen public safety and help people successfully transition back into their communities.

This funding opportunity sits under the broader framework of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-199), a federal response to the large and continuing flow of individuals returning home from incarceration. The program description highlights the scale of the issue: more than 2.2 million people are incarcerated in federal and state prisons, and millions more cycle through local and tribal jails each year. Since roughly 95 percent of incarcerated individuals will eventually be released, reentry is not a niche concern but a routine part of the justice system that directly affects community well-being. The grant therefore focuses on making the transition from prison or jail to the community more stable and more likely to succeed, which in turn reduces recidivism and the downstream costs associated with emergency services, repeated incarceration, and untreated health conditions.

A key emphasis in the notice is that reentry coordination can be especially complicated for members of Native American tribes. Individuals may return to their communities from a wide range of correctional settings, including federal facilities, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) facilities, and state, local, or tribal detention systems. That mix of jurisdictions can make it harder to ensure continuity of care, timely enrollment in services, and consistent supervision or support planning. By explicitly naming this challenge, the opportunity signals that strong cross-system coordination, including collaboration among correctional agencies, behavioral health providers, and tribal governments where applicable, is central to the program's intent.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is limited to governmental entities: state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The award instrument is a grant, and the activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services. The listing is associated with CFDA number 16.812, which is commonly used for BJA Second Chance Act funding streams.

From a funding standpoint, the opportunity set an award ceiling of $650,000 per award and anticipated making nine awards. The opportunity was created on January 11, 2017, with an original application closing date of March 14, 2017. The funding opportunity number is BJA 2017 11483. Taken together, those details indicate a competitive, time-limited federal grant round intended to support a relatively small number of substantial demonstration or expansion efforts, rather than a broad entitlement-style program.

Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at helping jurisdictions build or strengthen structured reentry pathways for adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, with the larger goal of safer communities and better long-term outcomes for people returning from incarceration. The core logic is straightforward: when reentry planning includes coordinated behavioral health treatment and support during the transition period, communities see fewer preventable crises and a lower likelihood that returning individuals will cycle back into the justice system.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 17 Second Chance Act Reentry Program for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 11, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 14, 2017. (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 $650,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for BJA 2017 11483

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