Mission
Wyoming Project AWARE’s mission is to reduce the impact of behavioral health conditions and substance abuse within Wyoming communities.
Vision
To provide evidence-based practices and leadership through appropriate programs, information, data, funding, and partnerships to support behavioral health and substance use education, prevention, treatment, and recovery in order to improve community health.
In 2020, the WDE was awarded a five year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) in our state. Project AWARE was established in 2014 as a part of a Federal safer schools initiative. The current program provides school-based mental health services, with parental consent, substance abuse education, violence and bullying prevention education and family engagement. The grant is designed to supplement existing mental health services within the community and remove potential barriers to care: financial, transportation, etc. by providing funding through the grant. Since 2020, Wyoming has been awarded two additional grants and has used American Rescue Plan funds to now provide services in 13 school districts.
Four primary goals:
- Increase access to mental health and substance abuse services for school aged youth.
- Increase district’s student, parent, and family knowledge of mental health and substance abuse services available, develop student skills that will promote resilience, prosocial behaviors, and prevent youth violence through outreach, engagement, and training.
- Increase each district’s capacity to recognize and appropriately respond to mental health and substance abuse needs of students through professional development and training.
- Develop state and district level infrastructures to foster wellness in school-aged youth and their families.
