Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 118
Advancing Learning Health Care Research in Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) is an NIH funding opportunity focused on small, practical pilot projects that strengthen how outpatient and community mental health programs learn from their own data and continuously improve care. The core idea is to support early-stage studies that move real-world behavioral health services toward a "learning health care" model, where routine clinical information, implementation feedback, and service outcomes are used in an ongoing cycle to guide decision-making, refine workflows, and improve quality and equity. The opportunity is built for research that helps clinics and community providers generate actionable knowledge and usable tools, not just publish findings, with an emphasis on changes that can be implemented, sustained, and optimized in everyday treatment settings.
The NOFO specifically encourages pilot effectiveness research, implementation research, data science work, and mental health services research in outpatient behavioral health environments. That means applicants can propose studies that test whether an approach works in real-world conditions (effectiveness), examine how best to introduce and integrate evidence-based practices in routine care (implementation), develop and evaluate analytics or informatics methods that make clinical data more useful (data science), or study system-level factors that shape access, quality, and outcomes (services research). Projects should be clearly oriented toward data-driven improvement in community settings and toward evidence-based, high-quality, and equitable services, including attention to gaps in outcomes across different populations.
A major example setting highlighted in the announcement is community-based programs serving people with mental illness, including Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), though the scope is broader than that. Pilot studies may focus on the adoption, fidelity, reach, and long-term sustainability of evidence-based practices in outpatient environments where staffing, resources, and patient needs can vary widely. This can include examining how providers choose interventions, how organizations train and support staff, how workflows and documentation influence care, how decision support tools can improve treatment selection, and how clinics can track and respond to outcomes over time. The goal is to generate early evidence and practical implementation lessons that can be scaled or tested in larger studies later.
This opportunity uses the NIH R34 mechanism, which is designed for pilot work and preparatory studies. The "Clinical Trial Optional" label means applicants may propose a project that includes a clinical trial component if it fits the aims, but a clinical trial is not required. The NOFO is listed as PAR-24-118, falls under the discretionary grant category, and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.242 and 93.279. The maximum award amount noted is $450,000 (award ceiling), reinforcing that this is intended to support focused pilot studies rather than full-scale multi-site trials. The listed application due date is January 7, 2026.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations that operate, partner with, or study outpatient mental health services. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The NOFO also calls out additional eligible groups 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly excludes non-U.S. entities: foreign organizations cannot 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.
Overall, the opportunity is aimed at improving how outpatient mental health systems use data to learn, adapt, and deliver better care in the places where most people actually receive services. Strong applications will typically be grounded in real clinical settings, focus on practical barriers and supports to implementing evidence-based care, and produce generalizable lessons or tools that help community programs deliver more consistent, effective, and equitable mental health treatment.Apply for PAR 24 118
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing Learning Health Care Research in Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Settings (R34 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, 93.279.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-08.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-07. (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 $450,000.00 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.
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FAQs: Advancing Learning Health Care Research in Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is an NIH Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Advancing Learning Health Care Research in Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)." It supports small, practical pilot projects that help outpatient and community mental health programs learn from their own data and continuously improve care.
What is the main goal of the program?
The core goal is to move real-world outpatient behavioral health services toward a "learning health care" model, where routine clinical information, implementation feedback, and service outcomes are used in an ongoing cycle to guide decisions, refine workflows, and improve quality and equity.
What does "learning health care" mean in this NOFO?
In this NOFO, a learning health care approach means clinics and community providers use the data they already generate in routine care (along with feedback about implementation and outcomes) to continuously evaluate what is happening, adapt how care is delivered, and improve results over time.
What types of projects are encouraged?
The NOFO specifically encourages pilot projects in:
- Effectiveness research in real-world outpatient behavioral health settings
- Implementation research focused on integrating evidence-based practices into routine care
- Data science work, including analytics or informatics methods that make clinical data more usable for improvement
- Mental health services research that studies system-level factors affecting access, quality, and outcomes
Is this opportunity intended for full-scale studies or early-stage pilots?
It is intended for early-stage, focused pilot and preparatory studies. The R34 mechanism is designed to support practical pilot work that can generate early evidence, implementation lessons, and usable tools, often with the intent to support larger follow-on studies later.
What does "R34" mean?
R34 is an NIH grant mechanism designed for pilot work and preparatory studies. In this NOFO, the R34 structure reinforces that the research should be practical and scoped to a pilot-level effort rather than a full-scale, multi-site trial.
What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean?
"Clinical Trial Optional" means a clinical trial component is allowed if it fits the project aims, but a clinical trial is not required. Applicants can propose either a project that includes a clinical trial element or one that does not.
What setting is the research expected to focus on?
The focus is outpatient and community mental health treatment settings, emphasizing real-world behavioral health services where routine data can be used for continuous improvement.
Are Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) included?
Yes. The NOFO highlights community-based programs serving people with mental illness and specifically notes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) as an example setting, while also making clear the scope is broader than CCBHCs alone.
What kinds of improvement questions or topics might a pilot study address?
Based on the NOFO description, pilot studies may focus on practical questions such as adoption, fidelity, reach, and long-term sustainability of evidence-based practices in outpatient environments. The NOFO also points to topics like how providers choose interventions, how organizations train and support staff, how workflows and documentation influence care, how decision support tools can improve treatment selection, and how clinics can track and respond to outcomes over time.
What is meant by "actionable knowledge and usable tools" in this program?
The NOFO emphasizes research that helps clinics and community providers generate outputs that can be used in everyday treatment settings, not only publications. This includes practical lessons, tools, and approaches that support implementation, sustainability, optimization, and routine data-driven decision-making.
How does the NOFO address equity?
The opportunity emphasizes high-quality and equitable services, including attention to gaps in outcomes across different populations. Projects are expected to be oriented toward improving care quality and equity in community settings.
What is the NOFO number?
The NOFO is PAR-24-118.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) noted is $450,000, indicating support for focused pilot studies rather than large, full-scale trials.
When is the application due?
The listed application due date is January 7, 2026.
What is the grant category and CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is under the discretionary grant category and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.242 and 93.279.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations involved in operating, partnering with, or studying outpatient mental health services. The NOFO lists eligible applicants including:
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
Are specific institution types called out as eligible?
Yes. The NOFO calls out additional eligible groups 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can foreign organizations apply?
No. The NOFO excludes non-U.S. entities. Foreign organizations cannot 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.
Is this opportunity limited only to clinics that directly provide care?
The NOFO is aimed at outpatient and community mental health programs and research that strengthens how these settings learn from routine data. The eligibility list includes a wide range of organization types, including higher education institutions and other entities that may operate, partner with, or study outpatient mental health services.
Does the NOFO prioritize certain research approaches?
It explicitly encourages pilot effectiveness research, implementation research, data science work, and mental health services research, as long as projects are clearly oriented toward data-driven improvement in outpatient/community settings and toward evidence-based, high-quality, and equitable services.
What kinds of outcomes or deliverables is NIH looking for under this program?
Based on the description provided, the program is looking for early evidence and practical implementation lessons that can be used in everyday treatment settings and potentially scaled or tested in larger studies later. The emphasis is on actionable outputs and improvements that can be implemented, sustained, and optimized in routine care.
Does the opportunity focus on workflow and operational improvement, or only clinical outcomes?
It supports a learning health care model that ties routine clinical information and implementation feedback to ongoing decision-making and workflow refinement. The examples include workflows, documentation, training and support for staff, decision support tools, and tracking outcomes over time.
Is mental health services research within scope?
Yes. The NOFO explicitly encourages mental health services research in outpatient behavioral health environments, including research on system-level factors that shape access, quality, and outcomes.
Is data science or informatics work within scope?
Yes. The NOFO encourages developing and evaluating analytics or informatics methods that make clinical data more useful for improvement and decision-making in outpatient behavioral health settings.
What makes a strong application according to the description provided?
Strong applications will typically be grounded in real clinical settings, focus on practical barriers and supports to implementing evidence-based care, and produce generalizable lessons or tools that help community programs deliver more consistent, effective, and equitable outpatient mental health treatment.
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