What is the TEAM UP Center?
The TEAM UP (Transforming and Expanding Access to Mental Health Care Universally in Pediatrics) Scaling and Sustainability Center is based at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and works to advance pediatric integrated behavioral health care. The TEAM UP Center promotes positive child health and well-being through consistent delivery of innovative, evidence-based integrated care. It supports practices to build multidisciplinary care teams that include Primary care providers (PCPs), Behavioral Health Clinicians (BHCs), and Community Health Workers (CHWs) and expand access to integrated care. It does this by providing training, technical assistance, and funding, and leading evaluation, research, and advocacy efforts. Please explore our website for complete details.
What is the TEAM UP Model?
Developed collaboratively with pediatric primary care practices, the TEAM UP Model™ is an innovative, team-based approach to integrating behavioral health services into pediatric primary care. The model utilizes a fully integrated, multidisciplinary care team—including BHCs, CHWs, and PCPs—to promote healthy development and ensure early identification of emerging behavioral health issues and rapid access to care. Children and families are often connected with behavioral health services within their pediatric medical home on the same day a concern is identified. Multiple studies show that the model’s approach to early identification, intervention, and treatment works to increase access, improve mental health outcomes, and reduce provider burnout. Practices that implement the model join the TEAM UP Learning Community as part of a cohort, where they receive in-depth clinical training, practice transformation support, and customized, data-driven technical assistance. Refer to the “About the TEAM UP Model™” section of the RFA for complete details.
Who can apply for this funding opportunity?
Please refer to the “Eligibility Criteria” section of the RFA. Interested practices should meet the following foundational criteria for participation:
Pediatric primary care or family medicine practice
Located in Massachusetts
Minimum patient panel of about 2,500 children and adolescents
No planned changes to the EMR system in the next 36 months
Commitment to participate in all practice transformation and evaluation activities
What financial support is available?
Practices will receive scaled funding between $100,000-$300,000 based on practice size and demonstrated need. Funds will be distributed in milestone-based payments over a 30-month period to support staffing, training, implementation, and evaluation activities. Please refer to the “Financial Support” section of the RFA for more details.
What are the benefits of participation?
Benefits include comprehensive financial, technical, and operational support. Practices will receive access to training, technical assistance, a customized data dashboard, and ongoing professional development. For a full description of benefits to patients and families, staff/direct care providers, and organizations, refer to the “Benefits of Participation” section of the RFA.
What are the key expectations for participating practices?
Participating practices are expected to implement evidence-based integrated behavioral health services aligned with the TEAM UP model. This includes maintaining a fully staffed care team, who together provide care that is culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and family-centered. Practices will share data with the TEAM UP Center’s data management partner, Relevant Healthcare, to support implementation tracking and evaluation activities. Practices actively engage in Learning Community training sessions and meetings. For full details, please refer to the “Practice Expectations” and “Practice Commitments” sections and Appendix: Learning Community Overview and Practice Staffing Requirements of the RFA.
What kind of support will practices receive during implementation?
Practices will receive hands-on technical assistance, role-specific clinical training for PCPs, BHCs, and CHWs, interdisciplinary team-based training, customized data dashboards developed by Relevant Healthcare, and opportunities to engage with peer practices across the TEAM UP Learning Community. Support is designed to guide practices through model implementation, continuous improvement, and sustainability. Please refer to the “Benefits of Participation” and “Practice Commitments” sections of the RFA for full details.
How will data be used to support practices?
Practices will receive access to a dynamic data dashboard powered by Relevant Healthcare to track metrics and performance over time. The dashboard will integrate data from EMR systems to provide real-time insights and inform the TEAM UP Center’s research and evaluation activities. A de-identified data warehouse will be accessible to the TEAM UP Center’s evaluation team. For full details, refer to the “Investment in Evaluation, Research, and Advocacy” section of the RFA.
Who is Relevant Healthcare?
Relevant Healthcare has a long history of partnering with community health providers, particularly federally qualified health centers, to streamline data collection processes and translate data into actionable insights through the creation of an implementation dashboard. Their expertise will enhance evaluation efforts, support meaningful participation for practices, and defray practice-level data collection and reporting burdens. See the “Financial Support“ sections and Appendix: About Relevant Healthcare in the RFA for more information.
How is the 30-month funding period structured?
The funding period is divided into three phases: six months for planning, eighteen months for implementation, and six months for sustainability. This structure is designed to support practices through each stage of TEAM UP model implementation. Please refer to Appendix: Learning Community Overview and Practice Staffing Requirements in the RFA for additional details.
What happens after the 30-month funding period?
Practices that successfully implement the TEAM UP model become TEAM UP Certified and join our growing community of certified practices. The TEAM UP Center continues to engage with certified practices by providing ongoing access to trainings and other resources, including research, advocacy, and dissemination activities designed to build the field of pediatric integrated behavioral health care. Please refer to the “Benefits of Participation” and “Practice Commitments” sections of the RFA.
What does it mean to become certified as a TEAM UP practice?
TEAM UP Certification indicates that a practice has successfully implemented the TEAM UP model and completed all initiative requirements. Practices who successfully complete the 30-month initiative will receive certification. For more details, please refer to the “Benefits of Participation” section of the RFA.
What is the application process?
The application process follows a two-step approach. First, practices submit an application that helps the TEAM UP Center understand their existing service model and integrated behavioral health (IBH) goals. Second, the TEAM UP Center conducts a follow-up discussion with each applicant to explore meaningful opportunities for engagement and support. Refer to the “Recruitment Process” section of the RFA for more details.
What is the application deadline?
Applications are due Friday, May 9, 2025, by 5:00pm EST.
When will funding decisions be announced?
Funding decisions will be announced in mid-July 2025.
When will the 30-month initiative start?
The 30-month initiative is expected to begin in September 2025; funded practices will be asked to complete contracting with the TEAM UP Center and Relevant Healthcare prior to the start of the initiative.
How can I learn more information about this funding opportunity?
We will be offering an informational webinar. The material covered will be the same in both sessions, and recordings will be available. Please register for the informational webinar session you plan to attend: Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 8:30–9:30am EST or Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 12:30–1:30pm EST. Additionally, we will offer technical assistance office hours to answer questions about the application and the initiative. Please register for the technical assistance office hours you plan to attend: Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 8:30–9:30am EST or Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 12:30–1:30pm EST. Informational webinars and technical assistance office hours will be recorded and available on our website.
How can I get in touch if I still have questions that have not yet been answered?
Please email Recruitment.TEAMUPCenter@bmc.org. The FAQ will be updated throughout the recruitment period.
We are interested in working with you, but unsure if we are ready to fully implement the TEAM UP model. Who can we contact for more information or to explore other opportunities to work with the TEAM UP Center?
The TEAM UP Center supports practices at various stages of IBH development and offers multiple engagement pathways. Please complete the TEAM UP Interest Form to share more about your practice and help us understand how we can best support your goals. Additionally, you can reach out to Recruitment.TEAMUPCenter@bmc.org for other inquiries and additional information.