Innovations in Mechanisms and Interventions to Address Mental Health in HIV Prevention and Care Continuum (R21) | PA 17 137

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 17 137

This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity, PA-17-137, supports innovative research that connects mental health with outcomes across the full HIV prevention and care continuum. The central idea is that mental health conditions and related psychosocial factors can strongly influence whether people get tested, start prevention tools like PrEP, link to HIV care, stay engaged in treatment, adhere to antiretroviral therapy, and ultimately reach and maintain viral suppression. The announcement invites projects that either dig into the underlying mechanisms driving these links or that translate what is known into new or expanded interventions that can improve both mental health and HIV-related outcomes.

The FOA emphasizes two major scientific directions. First, it seeks studies that advance understanding of the mechanisms by which mental health affects HIV prevention and treatment. In practice, this means research that clarifies how conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, substance use, stress, or other mental health challenges shape behavior, decision-making, healthcare engagement, adherence, and risk. The goal is not just description, but identifying modifiable targets that can be changed through intervention, such as cognitive and emotional processes, social or structural barriers, stigma, coping skills, self-efficacy, motivation, or care navigation factors. Second, it encourages the development and pilot testing of interventions that have been expanded or adapted specifically to address mental health needs while also improving HIV outcomes. These interventions can be designed to work at any point along the HIV continuum, from encouraging testing and prevention uptake through supporting retention in care and viral suppression.

This particular announcement uses the R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism, which is designed for early-stage, innovative, and potentially higher-risk projects. The R21 track is positioned as a good fit for high risk/high payoff ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, including projects that rely on existing datasets or early pilot work to demonstrate feasibility and signal potential impact. The FOA contrasts this with a companion R01 version (a separate but related announcement), which is generally better suited for applicants who already have stronger preliminary evidence, larger-scale plans, and/or more robust longitudinal analyses. In other words, PA-17-137 (R21) is framed as an entry point for testing bold concepts, building an evidence base, and generating data needed for larger follow-on studies.

The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes many types of U.S. governmental entities and education organizations, as well as nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Specifically listed eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and both nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also eligible, along with an "others" category that NIH uses to capture additional eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights a range of institutions and organizations often central to community-engaged public health work, including faith-based and community-based organizations; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Hispanic-serving institutions; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; and Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), U.S. territories or possessions, and certain regional organizations are also identified among eligible applicants, reflecting an interest in diverse settings and populations affected by HIV and mental health disparities.

Key administrative details included in the source information are that the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant, administered by NIH, and associated with CFDA numbers 93.242 and 93.279. The original closing date listed was January 24, 2018, and an award ceiling of $200,000 is provided in the posting. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at pushing the field toward practical, testable strategies that treat mental health not as a side issue but as a core driver of HIV prevention and treatment success, with an emphasis on innovation, mechanism-focused science, and early-stage intervention development and piloting that can later be scaled if results are promising.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovations in Mechanisms and Interventions to Address Mental Health in HIV Prevention and Care Continuum (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-01-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-24. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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