Tuesday, April 23, 2024
4/23/2024
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is requesting $1.8 million annually over 5 years to implement the FY 2020 Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Education Agency Grants cooperative agreement in the state of Illinois. IL AWARE will collaboratively implement a comprehensive, cross-sector, multi-tiered, state-wide plan that is flexible enough to adapt to the unique demographics, needs and resources of communities across the state, with a special focus on three LEAs named in this proposal. 1) Chicago Public Schools, a district in the northern region also representing the third largest district in the United States with more than 600 schools is 77.9% low income, 19.4% English learners, and very diverse (White 10.5%, Black 36.6%, Hispanic 46.6%, Asian 4.1%, American Indian .3%, Pacific Islander .2%, Two or More Races 1.6%). The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; 2019) data results showed 13.4% of CPS students identify as gay or lesbian or bisexual.; 2) Bloomington District #87, a district in the central region composed of a diversity very similar to the state of Illinois is 58% low income and 7.1% English learners, with diversity similar to central Illinois (White 78.5%, Black 8.6%, Hispanic 2.3% Asian 1.2%, American Indian .2%, Pacific Islander 0%, Two or More Races 9.1%); and 3) Eldorado Community Unit #4, a district in the southern region representing multiple townships in Saline County is 61.1% low income, 0% English learners, and diversity similar to southern Illinois (White 93.5%, Black .5%, Hispanic 1.2% Asian .3%, American Indian .1%, Pacific Islander 0%, Two or More Races 4.4%). Students in this county identify as 78.5% heterosexual, 3.8% mostly heterosexual, 6.2% bisexual, 0.8% other, 0% homosexual, and 10.7% questioning. The areas chosen are all underperforming schools that have significant need for the services that will be provided in this grant. Previously, IL-AWARE resulted in referral of 7,348 youth. With this agreement, we proposed to serve a minimum of 1,600 annually, totaling 8,000 unduplicated youth over the project period. To be successful, Illinois has chosen goals and objectives that closely mirror those of SAMHSA, including 1) Increase and improve access to school- and community-based services; 2) Develop school-based mental health programs. staffed by behavioral health specialists; 3) Conduct outreach and engagement with school-aged youth and their families; 4) Connect families, schools, and communities to increase engagement and involvement in planning and implementing school and community programs for school-aged youth; 5) Help school-aged youth develop skills that will promote resilience and promote positive behaviors; 6) Equip schools with the ability to immediately and effectively respond to the psychological needs of students; and 7) Develop an infrastructure that will sustain and expand mental health and behavioral health services and supports for school-aged youth when federal funding ends. AWARE 2.0 will expand a framework of evidence-based practices and develop sustainable systems at the state level with a model to support LEAs.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
