Community-based organizations (CBOs) are state grant funded organizations that serve high-need communities by providing quality and culturally competent substance use disorder prevention and mental health promotion and suicide prevention programming through evidence-based, research-based, and innovative programs and strategies. Funded by HCA’s Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR), CBOs can range from non-profits, faith-based organizations, educational service districts, schools, tribal or local governmental entities. CBOs are focused on the delivery of prevention and promotion programs and/or strategies to meet a targeted need. Such programs can include mentoring, parenting education, community awareness raising, training, and youth skill building.
CBOs and the programs they organize can support the larger Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) or other local or regional community coalitions of Washington State. Through partnerships like this, CBOs can help expand the reach of a coalition and build off their strategic plan. Alternately, CBOs can operate independently, providing targeted prevention and promotion programming to meet a need that organization has identified.
Please see this CBO Fact Sheet for a quick summary of this grant initiative with highlights of recent program outcomes.
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- Current 2023-2025 CBOs and service areas
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Organization Service area Boys and Girls Club of Washington
Grant, Island, Okanogan, Benton, Franklin, King, Skagit, Stevens, Snohomish, King, Lewis, Asotin, and Pierce Counties
Chelan Douglas TOGETHER for Youth!
Chelan and Douglas Counties
Educational Service District 105
Yakima, Grant, and Kittitas Counties
Family Education and Support Services
Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Nisqually Indian Reservation, Skokomish Indian Tribe, Squaxin Island Tribe, The Confederate Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation; Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties
Funhouse Commons
Orcas Island and San Juan County
Genuine Healthcare, PLLC
Thurston County
Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor County
Inspiring Here & Now
Thurston, Pierce, and Clark Counties
Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center
San Juan County
Lewis County Public Health and Social Services
Lewis County
Lopez Island Family Resource Center
San Juan County
Monroe School District 103
Snohomish County
Mt. Adams School District
Yakima County
Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center
Pierce County
Neighborhood House
King County
Pacific County Teen Advocacy - Fiscal Agent Lifeline Connections
Pacific County
Partners with Families and Children: Spokane
Spokane County
United General/Skagit County Public Hospital District #304
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, and Skagit County Washington State University
Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, and Whitman Counties
Whatcom Family & Community Network Whatcom County Youth and Family Link
Cowlitz County
- Funding
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Funding types: CBO grants are awarded through the Request for Application (RFA) process conducted on a biannual basis or as funding becomes available. RFA respondents are required to submit an application outlining identified substance use or mental health needs of the community, an action plan addressing the needs, a budget, and how health disparities will be addressed. As of April 2025, there are three funding types:
State Opioid Response (SOR): SOR funding is provided through the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Grants. This funding supports the Washington State Opioid and Overdose Response Plan. SOR funded CBOs engage local communities to provide community-based prevention programming, promoting of responsible prescribing, safe storage, and return of unused medication. SOR CBO’s action plans must include:
- Implement a minimum of at least one Direct Service Program or Strategy on the Opioid Use Prevention list
- Participating in the National Drug Take-Back Days held in April and October of each contract year
- Implementing the Starts with One and/or Friends for Life campaign on a recurring cycle (at least once monthly) of media reach, through one or more mediums (social media, ads, radio, billboards, traditional media).
Dedicated Cannabis Account (DCA): Washington state’s DCA Project funding serves to address the requirements of Initiative 502 in which CBOs will implement youth marijuana misuse and abuse prevention services. This funding is used to increase capacity to implement direct services and environmental strategies addressing substance misuse in high needs communities. DCA CBOs must implement programs from the approved list that fall under these two categories:
- Evidence-based program (EBP) or research-based program (RBP)
- Promising programs (PP) and services
Mental Health Promotion Project (MHPP): MHPP funding is general state funds provided by the Washington State legislature to address mental health promotion and suicide prevention in alignment with the Washington State Suicide Prevention Plan. These funds support services aimed to highlight positive self-esteem, strengthen individual resiliency, and general wellbeing. CBOs who receive MHPP funds must meet the following three requirements as outlined in their contract:
- Implement at least one Youth Mental Health First Aid Training per year (a minimum of two over the project period)
- Implement at least one community awareness raising event or activity per year (a minimum of two over the project period)
- Implement direct service programming from the approved list on a recurring basis (i.e. multiple series and implementation cycles throughout the project period) from at least one of the following categories:
- Evidence-Based Programs (EBP) or Research Based Programs (RBP) or services (for mental health promotion and/or suicide prevention)
- Promising Programs (PP) and services (for mental health promotion and/or suicide prevention)
- Innovative program and services (only allowed for suicide prevention services)
- Training and resources
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Prevention training opportunities can be found on the Athena Forum training and events calendar.
Find other training opportunities by connecting with prevention providers near you. You can search by local, regional, or state prevention contacts.
- Program implementation
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Here are some resources to support program implementation:
- Who can I contact for more information
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Sonja Pipek
Tribal and CBO Services Supervisor
Sonja.Pipek@hca.wa.gov