Federal Block Grant

The  Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRS BG or SUBG)  are noncompetitive, formula grants mandated by the U.S. Congress and administered by the federal agency Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  Minnesota must submit an annual application to demonstrate statutory and regulatory compliance  to receive the formula-based funding.

Grantees use  MHBG funds to provide comprehensive, community-based mental health services to adults with serious mental illnesses and to children with serious emotional disturbances and to monitor progress in implementing a comprehensive, community-based mental health system.

Grantees use  SUPTRS BG funds to plan, implement, and evaluate activities that prevent and treat substance use.

Grantees use the block grant programs for prevention, treatment, recovery support, and other services to supplement Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance services. Specifically, block grant recipients use the awards for the following purposes:

• Fund priority treatment and support services for individuals without insurance or for whom coverage is terminated for short periods of time.
• Fund those priority treatment and support services that demonstrate success in improving outcomes and/or supporting recovery that are not covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance.
• Fund primary prevention by providing universal, selective, and indicated prevention activities and services for persons not identified as needing treatment.
• Collect performance and outcome data to determine the ongoing effectiveness of behavioral health promotion, treatment, and recovery support services.

The Behavioral Health Administration at the Department of Human Services is required to submit the following to SAMHSA:

• A bi-annual plan for the MHBG and SUPTRS BG (in odd years)
• An annual application including assurances, certifications and planned expenditures
• An annual report

The plan describes the public mental health and substance use disorder systems in Minnesota. In addition, it identifies needs, priorities, goals and indicators, and proposes uses of block grant funds.

The annual even year application, sometimes referred to as a mini-application, is for updates in the following areas for SAMHSA:

• Assurances
• Certifications
• Planned expenditures
• Additional updates to the State’s Plan

Minnesota is required to submit annual reports for the combined MHBG and SUPTRS BG on the previous year’s use of the grant funds, progress toward the goal targets, and data required for the federal Universal Reporting System. The annual reports provide updates and progress reports to SAMHSA for the following areas:

• State Information
• Annual Updates
• Expenditure Reports
• Population and Services Reports
• Performance Indicators and Accomplishments

FY 2026-2027 Block Grant Plan

The  Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2026-2027 MHBG and SUPTRS BG combined application and plan was submitted to SAMHSA on September 1,  2025.

FY 2027 Mini Application

States are required to submit an application for  the MHBG and SUPTRS BG annually. The FFY 2027 Mini Application is due September 1, 2026.

FY 2027 Annual MHBG and SUPTRS BG reports

States are required to submit annual reports for the MHBG and SUPTRS BG on December 1st, of each year. The State of Minnesota submitted the last annual reports on December 1, 2025. Currently, the FFY 2027 annual reports are due December 1st, 2026. 

Minnesota works in collaboration with the State Advisory Council on Mental Health and Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health, the Minnesota Behavioral Health Planning Council, Minnesota Tribes and Public Input in drafting our plans, applications and reports.

To  view Minnesota’s MHBG and SUPTRS BG Assessments, Plans, and Annual Reports:

• Go to: https://bgas.samhsa.gov/
• Enter username: citizenmn
• Enter password: citizen.
• Click on "View an Existing Application"
• Click on the Application/Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan or report you would like to view.
• Click on "View Application"
• Click on any of the different parts of the Application and Plan you would like to review

The Behavioral Health  Administration welcomes and encourages interested persons and parties to review the applications, plans, and reports and to submit comments and suggestions to be considered. Send questions or feedback about the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant applications, plans, and reports to Kari.Irber@state.mn.us.