Sunday, September 15, 2024
9/15/2024
Texas LAUNCH will address gaps in the child mental and behavioral health system to support the healthy development and wellness children ages 0 to 8 years and their families. Texas LAUNCH aims to address the identified needs and service gaps in the three communities, Travis County, Cameron County, and Hidalgo County, as well as build state infrastructure for expansion. Cameron and Hidalgo Counties are predominantly Hispanic (89.9%), with the majority of families speaking Spanish in the home (75.1%). Travis County is 50% White, 32.2% Hispanic, 8.3% Black, 7.1% Asian, 2.3% other racial identifications. Families in these communities have been impacted by high rates of uninsured children, economic stressors, trauma and loss related to the pandemic, and service systems that are disjointed and challenging to navigate. Texas LAUNCH will target young children age 0-8 in these three communities. The goals of the grant are to (a) increase the number of children 0-8 years identified with developmental or social and emotional concerns, and promote active monitoring and/or referral for assessment and care, (b) increase access to family strengthening and parent training targeted to help parents and caregivers provide healthy and safe environments for children 0-8 years; (c) increase access to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) for families of children 0-8 years; (d) coordinate and support efforts of child- and family-serving organizations to increase awareness of IECMH and maximize the state investment in child behavioral health; and (e) implement public awareness strategies to promote child development and mental health and support access to appropriate screening, assessment, consultation, and services. The Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (TIEMH) will serve as a training and implementation support center, providing or coordinating trainings for each required activity. Travis County partners include Any Baby Can, People’s Community Clinic, and United Way of Greater Austin. Cameron and Hidalgo County activities will be led by the Easter Seals of the Rio Grande Valley. Training and implementation support will be provided to develop staff capacities, support implementation of evidence-based practices, and strengthen local coalitions to address gaps in the community. State telephone consultation services and telehealth support in schools will be enhanced to ensure primary care physicians and schools have expert consultation to address the mental health needs of young children and their families. Training in mental health promotion or prevention will be provided to 64 individuals in Year 1, 189 individuals in Year 2, 235 individuals in Year 3, and 255 in Years 4 and 5. Developmental or social-emotional screenings will be provided to 25 children in Year 1, 75 in Year 2, 100 in Years 3-5, for a total of 400 children. Parent training through Incredible Years will impact 10 families in Year 1, 40 in Years 2-5 for a total of 170 families. Family strengthening through Parent Cafes will impact 50 families in Year 4 and 100 in Year 5, for a total of 150. Infant and early childhood consultation will be provided to support 20 children in Year 1, 75 children in Years 2-5, for a total of 370 children/families across the grant period. Mental health consultation will also be provided at a center or classroom level, impacting at least four early child care and education settings.
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).
