2. State–Community Partnerships
Wendie Veloz, Public Health Advisor
Joyce Sebian, Public Health Advisor

3. Reach of Safe Schools/Healthy Students
Over 365 Grantees Since 1999
Additionally, Seven New SS/HS State Grants: PA WI CT NV NH OH MI
Since 1999, the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice (the federal partners) have collaborated on the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative. Over the last 12 years close to two billion dollars has been awarded to 365 communities*;
SAMHSA invested in moving this initiative to the state level in FY2013 and funded 7 states to support spread. Each state works with 3 local education agencies to pilot policies, programs, and systems building. 21

4. Now Is the Time Project AWARE – State Education Agency grants
Twenty 5-year grants awarded at $2 million per year
Collaboration with Dept. of Education School Climate Transformation SEA grants
Project AWARE – Local
One hundred 2-year grants awarded at $100K
Collaboration with Dept. of Education School Climate Transformation LEA grants, and
Dept. of Justice School Justice Collaboration Program: Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court
Project AWARE-Community
RFA Is Closed (May 1)
Approx year grants at
$125K per year
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) - Project AWARE will provide training for teachers and other adults who regularly interact with students and provide mental health services to youth and their families. This initiative, which would reach 750,000 young people, has two parts:
Create safe and supportive schools and communities: Project AWARE includes $40 million to help school districts work with law enforcement, mental health agencies, and other local organizations to implement coordinated school safety and mental health programs. This initiative builds on strategies that, for over a decade, have proven to decrease violence in schools and increase the number of students receiving mental health services.
Provide “Mental Health First Aid” training for teachers: Project AWARE includes $15 million for training teachers and other adults who interact with youth to detect and respond to mental illness in children and young adults, including how to encourage adolescents and families experiencing these problems to seek treatment.
· Training thousands of additional mental health professionals to serve students and young adults – Experts often cite the shortage of mental health service providers as one reason it can be hard to access treatment. To help fill this gap, SAMHSA will work with the Health Resources and Services Administration to provide $35 million to train social workers, counselors, psychologists, behavioral health paraprofessionals and other mental health professionals.
Project AWARE-C: funds to any youth serving community organization.

5. Increasing access to mental health services.
SAMHSA’s ‘Now Is the Time’ Initiatives
President’s
“Now Is the Time”
Plan
Project AWARE SEA
Project AWARE LEA
SAMHSA’s
Initiatives
Healthy Transitions
Closing background check loopholes to keep guns out of dangerous hands.
Making schools safer.
Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and taking other common-sense steps to reduce gun violence.
Increasing access to mental health services.
required

6. State–Community Model
SMT
LEAs
SEA
SEA
LEAs
SEA
LEAs
SMT
SEA
LEA

7. State Representatives
Andrea L. Alexander, M.S., LCPC, Specialist, School Climate Initiative, Maryland State Department of Education
Tammy Collins, Ph.D., OCPSII, Deputy Director, Office of Prevention & Wellness, Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
James Palmiero, Ed.D., Director, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
Michelle Maike, Project Evaluator, Washington Project AWARE Grantee
Dan Sackheim, Statewide Program Lead, Educational Options, Student Support and American Indian Education Office, California Department of Education

8. Tabletop Discussions
How can communities and states work together to better communicate shared goals and programs?
What initiatives in CA, PA, OH, MD, and WA can Summit participants link to and learn from?
How can states learn from community best practices in youth violence prevention?