NNEDLearn 2025: Strengthening the Capacity of Community-Based Organizations to Provide the Best Quality Behavioral Health Care
Aligning with the Department of Health and Human Services’ priorities, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) invites National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) members to participate in its fifteenth annual training for community-based organizations (CBOs), NNEDLearn 2025. Given the critical health challenges the American public is facing, including behavioral health conditions such as mental health disorders, addiction, and depression, NNEDLearn provides organizational capacity training to CBOs to improve behavioral health services to communities.
This training will focus on three core skill areas:
- Leveraging technology, including artificial intelligence (AI)- powered tools, to increase efficiency and effectiveness in behavioral health service delivery.
- Strengthening financial infrastructure to enhance and sustain behavioral health services.
- Effectively communicating behavioral health needs and organizational impact to decision-makers through data storytelling.
The objectives of this training are for participants to:
- Explore how AI and other technology can be leveraged to improve behavioral health service delivery and operations in their organization.
- Gain the tools and strategies needed to develop sustainable funding for behavioral health services.
- Develop data-driven strategies to strengthen community outreach, enhance client engagement, and effectively communicate program impact in behavioral health.
NNED Member organizations interested in participating in NNEDLearn 2025 must submit a single organizational application that nominates up to three participants. There is no cost to participate in this training. SAMHSA’s Achieving Behavioral Health Excellence (ABHE) Initiative will cover the allowable costs of travel and lodging for accepted applicants.
Training Model
NNEDLearn 2025 will include both in-person and virtual training components:
Part 1: The in-person component of NNEDLearn 2025 will take place in Gaithersburg, Maryland from April 28 to April 30, 2025.
Part 2: The virtual learning collaborative will focus on the use of technology, including AI, to improve organizational capacity in behavioral health service delivery and is scheduled to occur in May and June 2025.
Part 3: A culminating organizational presentation and distribution of resources.
In-Person NNEDLearn Training
Through a series of plenary sessions and interactive workshops, participants will learn about AI tools and their application in behavioral health services and explore strategies for infrastructure sustainability. Subject matter experts along with experienced CBO leaders, will provide valuable insights and real-world strategies to help organizations enhance their operations and efficiency to improve behavioral health service delivery.
Day 1 – April 28
Plenary and Workshops: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm EST
Day 2 – April 29
Plenary and Workshops: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST
Day 3 – April 30
Plenary and Workshops: 8:00 am – 12:20 pm EST
Virtual Learning Collaborative
The virtual learning collaborative following NNEDLearn will explore potential AI adaptation to behavioral health practice to enhance access, increase efficiency, and improve quality of behavioral health care. Between May and June 2025, participants will engage with peers in up to four 2-hour sessions with presentations and demos from subject matter experts. CBOs will have the opportunity to present on how they plan to apply AI in their organization’s behavioral health services in an Ignite Talk-style presentation.
Session 1: Wednesday, May 7 at 3:00 – 5:00 pm EST
Session 2: Wednesday, May 21 at 3:00 – 5:00 pm EST
Session 3: Wednesday, June 4 at 3:00 – 5:00 pm EST
Session 4: Wednesday June 18 at 3:00 – 5:00 pm EST
Participation Requirements
To participate in NNEDLearn 2025, organizations must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a member of the NNED (membership is free, and organizations can apply at nned.net/join/).
- Have designated 501c3 non-profit status.
- Review and understand the NNEDLearn 2025 model.
- Identify up to three staff members to participate, including one designated Team Lead.
- Confirm that your organization’s leadership is supportive of staff participation in all NNEDLearn activities (i.e., in-person training component and virtual learning collaborative), aware of the time commitment, and will ensure staff can fully engage by providing necessary accommodations.
- Read and agree to the participant requirements.
Due to this training’s focus on organizational capacity building to provide behavioral health services, it may be beneficial to consider the decision-making abilities and influence of the proposed team members as it relates to infrastructure development including financial sustainability and partnerships. Each team member must participate in all NNEDLearn 2025 activities, including a learning collaborative of up to four virtual follow-up sessions.
Each organization can propose up to three participants for the training. The application deadline is March 9, 2025 by 11:59 pm EST. Interested organizations can apply using the provided application link. You can download the application questions for review in advance of submission. For any inquiries, participants can contact ABHE@abtglobal.com.
FAQ
What is NNEDLearn?
NNEDLearn is an annual intensive training for NNED Member community-based organizations (CBOs). NNEDLearn 2025 includes both in-person and virtual training components that will provide capacity building to CBOs to improve behavioral health services to communities. The in-person component of NNEDLearn 2025 will take place from April 28 to April 30, 2025. The virtual learning collaborative will focus on the use of technology, including AI, to improve organizational capacity in behavioral health service delivery and is scheduled to occur in May and June 2025.
Where will NNEDLearn 2025 take place?
The in-person component of NNEDLearn 2025 will take place in Gaithersburg, MD. The virtual learning collaborative of NNEDLearn 2025 will take place via an online platform hosted by the ABHE Initiative in May and June 2025. More information about the virtual learning collaborative will follow.
How many participants can each organization send?
Each organization can have up to three (3) participants. As you select your team for NNEDLearn 2025, you are encouraged to include staff members involved in decision-making in the areas of focus of the training.
Is full attendance required?
Yes, full attendance is required. Organizations should plan accordingly before applying. Full attendance includes participation of all team (up to 3) members in the in-person training from April 28-30, 2025, and the full sessions of the virtual learning collaborative in May and June 2025.
Who can participate in the training?
The training is open to all NNED Member organizations with designated 501c3 non-profit status, regardless of their tenure.
Can I review the application questions in advance?
Yes, to view the application questions in advance of submission, visit this link.
What will participants gain from the training?
Participants will leave the training with concrete and tangible strategies that align with the three core themes:
- Leveraging technology, including artificial intelligence (AI)- powered tools, to increase efficiency and effectiveness in behavioral health service delivery.
- Strengthening financial infrastructure to enhance and sustain behavioral health services.
- Effectively communicating behavioral health needs and organizational impact to decision-makers through data storytelling
Upon the completion of in-person component of NNED Learn 2025, participants will continue to participate in a virtual learning collaborative to explore potential AI adaptation to behavioral health practice to enhance access, increase efficiency, and improve the quality of behavioral health care. Participants will also develop, present, and refine a data-driven ignite talk to support infrastructure sustainability.
Read the NNEDLearn Implementation Analysis Report!
This report provides findings from a qualitative analysis of evidence-based and culturally relevant behavioral health practices offered at NNEDLearn. It includes an overview of NNEDLearn, case studies, strategies and lessons learned, and conclusion.
Watch Digital Stories from NNEDLearn 2020!
SAMHSA NNEDLearn YouTube Playlist
This playlist includes NNEDLearn Digital Stories, which share NNEDLearn 2020 teams’ preparation, learning, and implementation journey through the NNEDLearn model. Videos on the playlist include stories from PLAAY, Project Venture, and Achieving Whole Health training tracks.