Friday, November 22, 2024
11/22/2024
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: Chariho, East Providence, Newport, and Warwick school districts impacting 18,396 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 (2018 and 2021 cohorts) with successfully established collaborative partnerships at the state, district and local level to raise awareness and address mental health needs of youth in four high need 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 four 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 awareness and identification of mental health, substance use, and co-occurring issues among school-aged youth through systemic enhancements. Goal 2 Increase mental health literacy of individuals who interact with school-aged youth to understand and detect the signs and symptoms of mental health, substance use/misuse, and co-occurring disorders as part of a Tier 1 approach. Goal 3 Support LEAs in promoting and fostering resilience building and mental health well-being for all school-aged youth using Tier 1 strategies. Goal 4 Support LEAs in providing positive behavioral health supports; targeted services to those who need more support; and intensive services to those who need them within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). Goal 5 Develop and enhance referral pathways that connect school-aged youth who may have behavioral health issues, including symptoms consistent with a SMI or SED, and their families to needed services to support Tier 3 interventions. Goal 6 Increase access to culturally competent, developmentally appropriate, and trauma informed school and community based AWARE grant activities and services.
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).
