Saturday, April 27, 2024
4/27/2024
Rhode Island Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), in partnership with the Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF), proposes to work with: Cranston, West Warwick and Westerly school districts impacting 24,330 students, to increase awareness of MH issues among school-aged youth; provide training for school personnel and other adults who interact with school aged youth to detect and respond to MH issues, and connect their families to needed services. This project will build on the successes of the current Project AWARE districts (SM18-006) with successfully established collaborative partnerships at the state, district and local level to raise awareness and address mental health needs of youth in three high poverty, racially and ethnically diverse communities. In Rhode Island, one in five (19%) children ages 6-17 has a diagnosable mental health problem and one in 10 (10%) has a significant functional impairment. RIDE, DCYF, and its partners will continue to build strong collaborative partnerships to oversee BH efforts in LEAs who serve school-aged youth with BH disorders. The collective impact of our state partnership will be mirrored by a similar partnership within the three LEAs, in partnership with local community MH treatment provider agencies, to ensure that school prevention and intervention programs and services are linked to existing resources and/or new capacity to support students is created. The following goals will support the process: Goal 1 Increase and improve access to culturally competent and developmentally appropriate school- and community-based mental health services for all school-aged youth, and particularly those with SED/SMI. Goal 2 Ensure adequate staffing of school behavioral health specialists to screen, provide early intervention, and make appropriate referrals for children and adolescents exhibiting symptoms consistent with mental disorder(s) or SED. Goal 3 Conduct outreach and engagement with school-aged youth and their families to increase awareness and identification of mental health issues and to promote positive mental health. Goal 4 Increase capacity at the district level to connect families, schools, and communities to increase engagement and involvement in planning and implementing school and community programs for school-aged youth. Goal 5 Increase the capacity and coordination of state agencies (e.g. RIDE, DCYF, and partners), to support school districts in helping youth improve social emotional learning (SEL), avert development of mental and behavioral health disorders, and prevent youth violence. Goal 6 Equip schools with the ability to immediately identify and respond to the needs of youth who may be exhibiting behavioral/psychological signs of severity indicated need for clinical intervention. Goal 7 Develop an infrastructure that will sustain and expand mental health and behavioral health services and supports for school-aged youth beyond the funding period.
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).
