Funding Watch Overview
Upcoming / Funding Watch. New York has enacted a major statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid, a school-based behavioral-health training initiative designed to help teenagers recognize and respond appropriately when peers show signs of mental-health or substance-use challenges. The FY 2027 State Budget secured $17.5 million for the expansion, with the State’s stated goal of making the training available to all 10th graders statewide.
Verified Funding and Statewide Scope
New York reports that more than 2,500 teens had completed Mental Health First Aid training by June 2026 after the initiative was incorporated into high schools beginning in July 2025. Under the new statewide expansion, the State expects to train roughly 25,000 students during the 2026-2027 school year, phase toward availability for more than 180,000 students annually, and increase total annual program funding to $21 million in subsequent years.
The New York State Office of Mental Health currently lists Teen Mental Health First Aid on its tentative procurement schedule for the second quarter of its 2026-27 procurement calendar, covering July 1 through September 30, 2026. OMH expressly states that the procurement schedule is tentative and subject to change.
What Is Not Yet Published
As of September 4, 2026, Atlas does not find a currently issued Teen Mental Health First Aid RFP on OMH’s active procurement listing. A procurement number, proposal deadline, competitive award structure, direct-applicant eligibility, budget rules, allowable-cost schedule, geographic allocation and submission mechanics therefore remain TBD. Atlas will not convert the enacted statewide investment into an invented open grant or assume that school districts, nonprofits, training organizations or other stakeholders are direct applicants until OMH publishes controlling solicitation guidance.
Who Should Watch
New York school districts, educational institutions, youth-serving nonprofits, community-based organizations and behavioral-health training partners should monitor this pathway because the intended statewide beneficiaries are high-school students and the State is scaling the program through schools. Organizations interested in an implementation or partnership role should pre-position evidence of school reach, instructor and trainer capacity, curriculum fidelity, youth-safety and referral protocols, implementation quality, data/reporting capability, equitable statewide reach and sustainability. These are readiness considerations, not a statement of confirmed bidder eligibility.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 96/100. This is a high-value verified school-health and youth behavioral-health Funding Watch because the underlying FY 2027 investment is enacted, the statewide expansion goal is explicit, and OMH has placed Teen Mental Health First Aid on its procurement roadmap. The score remains below a fully open solicitation because the controlling procurement has not yet been issued.
N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. The verified initiative is behavioral-health education and peer-response training rather than connected physical-exam technology, remote clinical assessment or outsourced physician coverage. Atlas therefore does not manufacture a Dr. Miltie commercial pathway.
Next Action
Interested New York organizations should build a procurement-ready implementation concept now and monitor OMH for the formal Teen Mental Health First Aid solicitation. Do not budget against a presumed award amount or begin applicant-specific submission work until OMH publishes the RFP, applicant eligibility, allowable costs and deadline. When the solicitation is issued, Atlas should convert this Funding Watch to an Active opportunity only after verifying the controlling documents.
Official sources: New York State Office of Mental Health — Upcoming Procurement Opportunities and New York State — FY 2027 Teen Mental Health First Aid Expansion.