Second ARPA application cycle closed, review cycle underway

Review of second-round applications likely to run until late June

The second BHECN-ARPA application cycle has closed, and the BHECN-ARPA Awards Team would like to thank all who submitted applications to secure funding to help address our state’s pressing behavioral health workforce challenges.

BHECN received 137 applications requesting nearly $22 million in funding during the second American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) application cycle, which closed on April 10.

The end of the application cycle means application review cycle is now underway and will likely run until late June. The application review cycle will include the following four phases:  

• Technical Review -- Technical Reviewers with expertise in behavioral health workforce research, education, and development review applications across all categories. They recommend what applications should receive full reviews to Review Committee Chairs.
• Full committee review -- The applications are assigned to Review Committee Members across the four funding categories. Each application will have a primary and secondary reviewer. Primary reviewers will present the project and recommended score during the Review Committee Meetings. Review Committee Members anonymously vote on the presented applications.
• Funding Review -- When all proposals have been scored by the full Review Committee, the Funding Committee will determine the final awardees using cut-off parameters. The Funding Committee will consist of a Review Committee Chair, a BHECN Representative, and a DEI Representative.
• Awards Announcements -- BHECN will notify applicants directly about funding decisions. 

Our team is excited to review the applications and to explore the proposals that were put forth to help strengthen behavioral health in Nebraska. We will be in touch with individual applicants throughout the review process if we have questions or need more information regarding various applications.

Thank you again to all who applied! -- The BHECN-ARPA Awards Team