---

Mental Health Conference

1. Can the grantee hire an event planner for the mental health conference? 

 Yes, the grantee is allowed to contract with or consult with an event planner to support them in convening the statewide conference.

 

2. What is the expected number of attendees and required facility size for the conference?

There are no set expectations for the number of attendees or required facility. There are many factors to consider when determining the size and scope of the statewide conference including the way the grantee allocated the available $550,000 budget.  

The intent of Goal 3 is for the grantee to facilitate a large-scale statewide conference of diverse participants, including, at minimum, educators and families of school-aged youth. The grantee should select a location for the conference that is centrally located to best support attendees from all three regions of the State. The grantee should determine the number of attendees based their ability to execute a comprehensive conference agenda and program on mental health awareness and youth suicide prevention that includes informative breakout sessions.

 

3. Is the grantee permitted to charge participants a fee to attend the conference?

The conference should be accessible to all participants without a fee. However, it may be permissible to provide attendees the opportunity to purchase snacks and meals at the event. Grant funds may not be used to purchase food.

 

4. Is it mandatory for the grantee to provide food at the conference?

 It is not required that the grantee provide food at the conference. Additionally, it is important to note that grant funds may not be used to purchase food. If the grantee chooses to, they may solicit a sponsor to provide food at the conference.

 

    5. Can the conference be conducted virtually rather than in-person?  

 It may be possible for the grantee to conduct a virtual conference. The grantee should specify in their application how they will fulfill all of the requirements for the mental health conference outlined in the NGO on pages 11-12.

---

Online Training

1. Can existing online training modules be utilized for this grant?

It is possible that existing online training modules can be utilized for this grant as long as they meet the minimum standards and requirements outlined in the NGO. If existing online training modules are utilized, they should be updated or modified as necessary to ensure they fulfill the intent of Goal 2. The grantee should be sure to specify in the budget how grant funds will be used to fulfill this goal.

Additionally, it is important to note that the online training modules are required to be submitted to the NJDOE as part of the activities of the grant program. The training modules will be the property of the NJDOE and will be used by the NJDOE after the grant period ends.

 

    2. Are there ongoing obligations to host online training after the grant period ends? 

There is no obligation for the grantee to host the online training modules. Grantees are required to deliver training materials to the NJDOE in a manner that can be shared broadly and beyond the timeframe of the grant-funded program. After the grant ends, the NJDOE intends to widely distribute the online training modules to increase the knowledge of educators and other school staff to support mental health and prevent youth suicide. 

---

Financial Guidelines

1. How should differences between grant travel reimbursement rates and organizational policy be handled in the budget? 

 Grant funds must adhere to the NJDOE's approved travel reimbursement rate of $0.47 per mile rate. Should an organization’s policy permit a higher reimbursement rate, the grantee will be responsible for paying the difference.

---

Collaboration & Sub Grants

1. What are the criteria for choosing collaborative partners under this grant? 

 Partners should have demonstrated expertise and experience in mental health initiatives, especially those targeting youth. Effective previous collaboration, capability to reach the target audience, and alignment with grant goals are crucial.

 

    2. Can external organizations or experts be compensated for their services or contributions? 

 Yes, organizations or experts can be compensated for their services or contributions. These costs should be treated as contracted services 200-300 or as purchased services 200-500.

 

   3. Who is responsible for creating online modules—can these be outsourced, or must they be produced internally? 

Grantees are permitted to consult or contract with experts or organizations with specific expertise to assist them in developing online training modules to ensure high-quality content delivery. Hiring external experts to write these modules is permissible, provided they meet the grant's educational and quality standards.