Public Health Nursing | HHS 2017 IHS PHN 0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2017 IHS PHN 0001

The Indian Health Service (IHS), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offered the "Public Health Nursing" discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2017-IHS-PHN-0001; CFDA 93.933) to help American Indian and Alaska Native communities strengthen behavioral health outcomes for a clearly identified high-risk patient group. The core idea is to use a Public Health Nurse (PHN) as the case manager in a community-based model that connects clinical care with home and community supports. The program is designed to reduce the prevalence and incidence of behavioral health conditions while advancing holistic treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention services for individuals and families. It emphasizes coordinated, timely interventions; stronger continuity of care; improved quality and patient experience; and more efficient use of health care resources through structured case management.

The grant centers on a PHN-led case management approach that brings together the client, family, and the broader care team. In practice, the PHN performs the classic public health nursing functions: assessment, planning, coordination of services, communication across providers and systems, and ongoing monitoring. The model is meant to improve early detection, diagnosis, treatment follow-through, and outcome evaluation in a cost-effective way. It intentionally spans primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, meaning it is not limited to clinical appointments but extends into the home and community setting where day-to-day risks, protective factors, and barriers to care often show up. The scope is population-informed but delivered through direct work with individuals and families, reflecting public health nursing’s role in bridging community conditions and personal health outcomes.

Projects are expected to follow a phased structure that mirrors the nursing process. In the first phase (assessment), the recipient completes a community assessment, ideally leveraging existing annual PHN program plans and incorporating local behavioral health statistics and other relevant community data. Behavioral health staff are treated as key subject matter experts, and the process also requires active input from stakeholders such as community members, Tribal leadership, health system administration, and community health groups to identify priorities. Programs must also secure appropriate approvals for establishing the PHN case management program, such as from health care leadership, governing boards, and medical executive committees when required.

In the second phase (planning), the recipient uses assessment findings to define the target high-risk behavioral health population and design the case management services around the community’s priority issues. Collaboration with local behavioral health programs is a central expectation during this phase. Planning deliverables include practical operating guidelines such as admission criteria for enrollment, appropriate caseload size, written policies and procedures, and an evaluation plan that includes outcome tracking and data management. Applicants are encouraged to consider replicating or adapting recognized best-practice models where appropriate, with examples cited such as the Pine Ridge PHN Case Management community suicide prevention program or REACH (Resources to Enhance All Caregivers Health) adapted for Indian Country. Planning also includes building staff capacity through training (for example, evidence-based practices, motivational interviewing, and nursing competencies relevant to the behavioral health focus), developing or selecting patient and community education materials, and creating a sustainability strategy to continue services after the grant period ends.

In the third phase (implementation), the project puts the case management program into operation using the established standards, enrollment criteria, and caseload parameters. The PHN establishes and manages the patient caseload, monitors progress, and adjusts the approach as needed based on patient needs and program performance. A key operational requirement is the systematic tracking of patient outcomes, which supports both continuous improvement during the grant period and the longer-term case for sustaining the program.

In the fourth phase (patient satisfaction and continuous improvement), recipients implement a patient satisfaction process so clients can provide feedback on their experiences with services. The program expects recipients to analyze satisfaction findings alongside internal performance metrics, watch trends over time, and use that information to make timely improvements. Semi-annual review and revision are built in, including reassessment of policies and procedures, education materials, and staff competencies. Recipients are also expected, to the extent permitted by law, to report progress back to stakeholders and to inform clients about changes made as a direct result of their feedback. Another important feature is knowledge sharing: each funded site provides program materials to IHS Headquarters PHN leadership so resources can be shared IHS-wide for replication, with credit assigned to the developing organization. Grantees may also be asked to present results or lessons learned through posters, oral presentations, national meetings, or webinars.

Funding details for the opportunity included an award ceiling of $150,000, with an estimated 10 awards anticipated. Eligible applicants included federally recognized Native American tribal governments, eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), and other entities as further described in the eligibility clarification. The original posting date was March 21, 2017, and the original closing date was May 15, 2017.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Health Nursing" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.933.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 21, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2017 IHS PHN 0001

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