Opportunity Overview
Open now. The New York State Office of Mental Health, through the Suicide Prevention Center of New York, is seeking one statewide nonprofit partner to deliver Sources of Strength in New York high schools, grades 9 through 12. The model is a universal school-based suicide-prevention program that trains student peer leaders and adult advisors, strengthens help-seeking and protective factors, and requires clear school protocols for students identified as suicidal, including referral for mental-health evaluation.
Funding and Deadline
OMH will make one award totaling $801,130 over five years, with $160,226 in annual operating funding, subject to continued State appropriations. Proposals are due October 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM EST. OMH labels the deadline time as EST in the RFP, so Atlas preserves the issuer’s exact timezone wording rather than normalizing it. Formal questions are due September 16, 2026, answers are scheduled for October 7, anticipated award notification is December 2, 2026, and the anticipated contract start date is July 1, 2027. Quarterly payments are tied to acceptable biannual reporting, and administrative/indirect overhead is capped at 15%.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agencies located and doing business in New York State. Nonprofit applicants must be registered and successfully prequalified in the Statewide Financial System before submission. OMH warns that State review of complete prequalification applications may take at least five business days, and SFS will prevent an unqualified nonprofit from submitting its bid response. The RFP also requires notice of intent to the applicable Local Governmental Unit, with proof included in the application. Individual schools are program participants rather than direct applicants under this statewide award.
Required Statewide Delivery Model
The selected organization must onboard at least five new secondary schools per year across the five-year contract term, provide certified Sources of Strength trainers, deliver in-person Adult Advisor and Peer Leader training, maintain technical assistance for schools trained during the preceding three years, support safe referral protocols for youth at suicide risk, and report implementation data to OMH and the national Sources of Strength platform. By the third year of support, participating schools must be helped to build independent sustainability capacity.
The awardee must maintain a relationship with Sources of Strength for training materials, annual school licensing and current campaign resources. OMH also expects quality, supervisory, operational and IT/data infrastructure sufficient to monitor outcomes and support continuous quality improvement. The implementation plan must address culturally responsive representation and populations that OMH identifies as disproportionately affected by suicide.
Application Readiness
Strong applicants should immediately confirm SFS prequalification, document statewide school-recruitment and implementation capacity, establish the relationship needed for Sources of Strength school licensing and certified trainers, build the five-year operating budget, and prepare the required Provider Contact form, certifications and proposal package. The proposal template and supporting attachments must be combined into one continuous PDF, while the operating budget must remain in Excel format. OMH recommends beginning the SFS submission at least five business days before the deadline and submitting at least 48 hours early to leave time for technical troubleshooting.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 92/100. This is a strong school-linked behavioral-health opportunity because it combines evidence-based suicide prevention, statewide implementation, peer leadership and a five-year operating horizon. The award is for the statewide implementation organization rather than individual schools, and only one award will be made.
N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. The verified scope centers on suicide-prevention training, school licensing, technical assistance, implementation and data reporting rather than clinical telehealth, connected physical-exam technology or physician coverage. Atlas therefore does not manufacture a Dr. Miltie vendor pathway.
Next Action
Eligible New York nonprofits should confirm SFS registration and prequalification now, document statewide school-recruitment capacity, secure certified Sources of Strength trainer access, build a five-year plan capable of onboarding at least five new schools each year while supporting returning schools, send the required Local Governmental Unit notice, submit any clarification questions by September 16, and file the complete proposal through SFS by October 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM EST.
Official source: New York OMH, Delivering Sources of Strength, MH263036.