Practice-Based Research for Implementing Scalable Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions in Primary Care Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA MH 20 506

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 20 506

This funding opportunity, titled "Practice-Based Research for Implementing Scalable Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions in Primary Care Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Required)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-20-506), is an NIH grant mechanism designed to support early-stage, practice-based research that helps move proven prevention interventions closer to real-world use in pediatric primary care. The core aim is to refine and pilot test prevention strategies that are developmentally informed, grounded in theory, and already shown to be efficacious, with the intention of improving mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. The FOA is especially interested in prevention approaches that can reduce risk for serious mental health problems, including suicide-related behaviors and serious mental illness, and that can realistically be delivered in everyday pediatric-serving primary care settings rather than only in specialty mental health clinics.

A central theme of the announcement is implementation practicality: proposed interventions should be both scalable and sustainable. In plain terms, NIH is looking for projects that can fit into the workflows, staffing patterns, and resource constraints typical of primary care, and that have a plausible pathway to being adopted broadly over time. The "practice-based" framing signals an emphasis on research conducted in real care environments (such as pediatric practices, community health centers, and similar frontline settings), often involving partnerships with clinics and health systems to ensure the intervention can be delivered as intended and maintained after the research period. Because this is an R34, the expectation is typically a preparatory, pilot-focused phase that strengthens the intervention and the implementation approach, generates feasibility and acceptability data, and positions teams for a later, larger-scale effectiveness or implementation trial.

The announcement also places strong emphasis on mental health disparities. Applicants are encouraged to focus on populations that experience unequal mental health burdens or barriers to care, and to design prevention approaches that are responsive to those communities and settings. That can include addressing inequities related to race, ethnicity, income, geography, language, disability, and other factors that shape access to preventive services and mental health outcomes. The goal is not only to test whether an intervention can work, but whether it can work in the places and for the groups where the need is greatest, using models that can be realistically maintained in primary care.

This FOA uses the NIH grant funding instrument and falls under the health activity category, with CFDA number 93.242. It is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Required," meaning applicants are expected to propose a study that meets NIH's definition of a clinical trial, typically involving prospective assignment to an intervention and assessment of outcomes. The original closing date listed is July 1, 2021, and the opportunity was created on November 25, 2019. (If you are looking at this historically, that date indicates when NIH originally accepted applications under this specific announcement; current availability would depend on whether NIH has reissued or replaced the FOA.)

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or 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 that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian 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, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA makes clear that foreign participation is restricted. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions 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. In short, the work is intended to be led and conducted within eligible U.S. organizational structures without foreign components.

Overall, this opportunity targets the practical middle ground between "we know this prevention intervention can work" and "it is ready for broad rollout in pediatric primary care." NIH is seeking pilot and refinement studies that stress-test real-world delivery, address sustainability and scale from the start, and deliberately focus on reducing mental health inequities while improving outcomes tied to suicide risk and serious mental illness.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Practice-Based Research for Implementing Scalable Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions in Primary Care Settings (R34 Clinical Trial Required)" 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 2019-11-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-07-01. (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 20 506

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