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Utah State Board of Education receives $8.4 million to address youth mental health issues

Posted at 7:20 PM, Oct 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-10 21:20:06-04

SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the Utah State Board of Education an $8.4 million grant targeting mental health issues among children in school.

Over the next five years, the money will be used for Project AWARE, which stands for Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education, in the Alpine, Cache and Jordan school districts.

The Alpine, Cache and Jordan school districts serve more than 150,000 students combined, nearly a quarter of Utah’s public school population.

Project AWARE aims to increase awareness of mental health issues among children in school and provide training for school personnel, families and community members. The project also connects youth and families with behavioral health services.

The grant contains a cultural competency component to support Native American students specifically.