Re-Entry Community Linkages (RE-LINK) | MP CPI 16 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for MP CPI 16 003

Re-Entry Community Linkages (RE-LINK) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administered under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health through the Office of Minority Health (OMH). The program sits within OMH's broader mission to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations by advancing policies and programs that reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities. In practical terms, RE-LINK focuses on what happens at one of the most fragile points in a persons life: the transition from incarceration (or other high-risk transitional settings) back into the community, where gaps in care and support can quickly lead to relapse, poor health outcomes, and re-involvement with the justice system.

The core purpose of RE-LINK is to demonstrate whether a coordinated, multi-stakeholder transition model can improve outcomes for formerly incarcerated people and other high-risk transitional populations. The opportunity is framed around the reality that the U.S. correctional system touches a very large population (about 2.2 million people incarcerated at any given time) and that incarceration disproportionately affects communities of color. The grant description highlights stark disparities, noting that about 60 percent of U.S. prisoners are African American or Latino, and that incarceration rates are substantially higher for African American and Latino men than for white men. These inequities connect directly to OMH's health-disparities mission because the consequences of incarceration extend well beyond the prison term, shaping long-term health, employment, housing stability, and access to care.

RE-LINK is also grounded in the high likelihood of recidivism and the high prevalence of behavioral health needs in correctional populations. The announcement cites research suggesting that roughly two-thirds of formerly incarcerated individuals are rearrested within three years of release. It also emphasizes that a large majority of incarcerated people meet criteria for mental health and/or substance use issues (with figures exceeding 70 to 80 percent across state prisons, federal prisons, and jails). Against that backdrop, the program argues that successful reentry support is not only a second-chance strategy for individuals, but also a public health and public safety strategy for communities.

A central problem RE-LINK aims to address is fragmentation: after release, people often encounter a disconnected set of health, behavioral health, social services, employment supports, mentoring resources, and housing options. Even where case management, navigation, and referral systems exist, the availability and intensity of those supports varies widely by state and locality, and community resources are often too limited to provide comprehensive help. The notice also points out additional barriers that compound the issue, including limited job access, lack of job skills, lack of a consistent medical home, and the difficulty of navigating complex service systems. These barriers can lower quality of life and deepen the disadvantages already faced by people leaving incarceration, particularly in underserved minority communities.

The intended approach of RE-LINK is to test a model transition process that is implemented through collaboration among multiple stakeholders. While the description does not spell out a single mandatory model in the text provided, it clearly signals the expectation of strong coordination across systems that typically operate separately: corrections or reentry partners, health care and behavioral health providers, social and supportive services, and community organizations involved in employment, mentoring, and housing. The emphasis is on showing effectiveness, meaning applicants are expected to build a coherent linkage strategy that moves beyond simple referrals and demonstrates a more connected pathway into care and stability.

Eligibility for RE-LINK is broad, reflecting the multi-sector nature of reentry work. Eligible applicants include state and local governments (and their bona fide agents), nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those specific nonprofit categories), and a wide range of community-serving entities such as hospitals, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations. Colleges, universities, and research institutions are also eligible, as are federally recognized or state-recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribal governments and tribally affiliated health and epidemiology organizations (including Alaska Native health organizations, Urban Indian health organizations, and Tribal epidemiology centers). For-profit organizations may apply as well, but they must agree to forgo any profit or management fee. The eligible geography explicitly includes U.S. territories and freely associated states listed in the announcement (including DC, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau), and political subdivisions of states may participate in consultation with states.

Key funding details in the source information include the funding opportunity number MP CPI 16 003, CFDA 93.137, and an activity category of Health. The award ceiling is listed as $375,000, with an expected six awards. The opportunity was created on February 18, 2016, with an original closing date of April 21, 2016. Overall, RE-LINK is positioned as a demonstration effort: it is meant to show how coordinated community linkages at the point of reentry can reduce fragmentation, improve access to health and behavioral health services, strengthen social supports like housing and employment, and ultimately contribute to better health equity and safer communities.

• The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Re-Entry Community Linkages (RE-LINK)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.137.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-02-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-04-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $375,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for MP CPI 16 003

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