Research Opportunities in Crisis Response Services for Suicide Prevention (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 25 135

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 25 135

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting R01 grant applications under the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Research Opportunities in Crisis Response Services for Suicide Prevention (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-MH-25-135; CFDA: 93.242). This opportunity sits within the Suicide Prevention Transformative Project workgroups research agenda and is focused on building practical, policy-relevant evidence about crisis response services for suicide prevention, particularly as jurisdictions roll out and refine the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and related crisis systems.

The central goal is to fund research that examines how state and local policies shape the introduction, implementation, and outcomes of crisis response services. In other words, NIH is looking for studies that can connect policy choices to real-world effects such as whether services exist in a community, how quickly they became available, who uses them, what kinds of services people actually receive (for example, phone/text/chat triage, mobile crisis teams, stabilization units, emergency department pathways, follow-up care), and what outcomes result for individuals and systems. The emphasis is on understanding how policy drives the structure and performance of crisis response across the full continuum of care, not just a single program component in isolation.

A strong theme of the NOFO is real-world relevance. NIH explicitly seeks research conducted in naturalistic, applied settings where the crisis system has to serve people with a wide range of clinical presentations and needs. This includes variation in psychosocial factors, age groups (youth, adults, older adults), geography (including rural and remote communities), cultural context, and health disparities. The opportunity also highlights the importance of studying crisis response for children and for under-resourced populations, signaling interest in projects that address inequities in access, quality, and outcomes. Overall, the program encourages designs that reflect the messy realities of service delivery and policy implementation, rather than tightly controlled scenarios that may not translate well to community crisis systems.

The NOFO uses the R01 mechanism and indicates "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose studies that do or do not meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial, as long as the project aligns with the objectives of the announcement. The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity category is discretionary. The posting does not list an award ceiling or an expected number of awards in the provided source information, so applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget expectations, project period guidance, and any institute-specific constraints.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations and government entities that commonly participate in public health and behavioral health systems research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education when relevant); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly calls out other eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, NIH makes clear that foreign involvement is not allowed for this opportunity. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. This indicates that the research must be fully domestic in organizational structure and in supported components, aligning with the U.S.-focused policy and crisis services context of 988 and state/local crisis systems.

Key logistical details from the source information include an original application closing date of 2025-06-02 and a creation date of 2024-06-13. The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the activity category is Health. In practical terms, competitive applications will likely be those that can clearly define relevant state/local policy levers (for example, financing mechanisms, regulatory requirements, service standards, data-sharing rules, dispatch protocols, Medicaid/insurance policy, workforce requirements, or interagency coordination mandates), measure how those policies change system capacity and service delivery, and link those changes to outcomes that matter for suicide prevention and crisis care quality, particularly for children and communities that have historically had limited access to timely, culturally responsive crisis services.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Opportunities in Crisis Response Services for Suicide Prevention (R01 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 2024-06-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 25 135

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