Opportunity Information: Apply for SM 19 003
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Education Agency Grants, also referred to as AWARE-SEA, is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services. The FY 2019 competition invites applications from State Education Agencies to strengthen how states and school systems identify, respond to, and support the mental and behavioral health needs of school-aged children and adolescents. At its core, the program is designed to help states move beyond isolated school-by-school efforts and instead build statewide and local partnerships that make student mental health supports more consistent, accessible, and coordinated.
The purpose of AWARE-SEA is threefold. First, it aims to increase awareness and understanding of mental health issues among school-aged youth, recognizing that earlier recognition can reduce stigma and improve the odds that students get help before problems escalate. Second, it funds training for school personnel and other adults who interact with students (such as educators, administrators, school support staff, and other trusted adults) so they can better detect signs of mental health concerns and respond appropriately. This includes improving the ability of adults in school settings to recognize warning signs, engage students safely, and use clear pathways for referral and follow-up rather than relying on ad hoc responses. Third, the program prioritizes connecting students who may have behavioral health needs, including serious emotional disturbance (SED) or serious mental illness (SMI), and their families to appropriate services. The emphasis is not only on identification, but on building practical linkages so that screening or concern leads to real support, whether delivered in schools, through community providers, or through state and local mental health systems.
A defining feature of the opportunity is its focus on collaboration across systems. State Education Agencies are expected to work in partnership with State Mental Health Agencies that oversee services for school-aged youth and to coordinate with local education agencies. SAMHSA signals that successful projects will strengthen relationships between state-level policy and local implementation so that schools are not left to navigate mental health challenges on their own. The program is framed as a way to promote healthy development, improve school climate, and prevent youth violence by putting comprehensive mental health promotion and early intervention strategies in place across state and local systems.
The grant supports the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan that combines activities, services, and strategies aimed at decreasing youth violence while supporting student well-being and resiliency. Rather than funding a single intervention, AWARE-SEA is intended to help states establish integrated approaches that create safe, respectful learning environments and promote mental health in a sustained way. The program explicitly builds on lessons from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative, which has a track record of helping communities improve safety and student mental health through coordinated, multi-agency strategies. In practice, this points to efforts like aligning policies and protocols across education and mental health systems, improving referral networks, strengthening cross-agency data-informed planning, and ensuring schools have a clear structure for prevention, early identification, and connection to care.
From the posted opportunity details, the funding opportunity number is SM-19-003 under CFDA 93.243, and the funding instrument is a grant within the health funding activity category. The application window opened October 24, 2018, with an original closing date of December 24, 2018. SAMHSA anticipated making eight awards, with an award ceiling of $1,800,000. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with clarification referenced in the official eligibility section, but the program is clearly described as targeting State Education Agencies as the lead applicants working in formal partnership with state and local counterparts.
Overall, AWARE-SEA is meant to help states scale up sustainable school mental health capacity by training the adults closest to students, normalizing awareness and early response, and strengthening the service connections that allow students and families to access appropriate supports. The intended outcome is a more integrated state-and-local infrastructure that improves student mental health, reduces the risk factors associated with violence, and supports safer, healthier school communities.Apply for SM 19 003
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Education Agency Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.243.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 24, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 24, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Project AWARE (AWARE-SEA) State Education Agency Grants (FY 2019) - FAQs
What is the Project AWARE State Education Agency grant (AWARE-SEA)?
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Education Agency Grants, also called AWARE-SEA, is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services. It supports statewide and local efforts to strengthen how schools and systems identify, respond to, and support the mental and behavioral health needs of school-aged children and adolescents.
Which federal agency administers this grant opportunity?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services.
What is the main goal of AWARE-SEA?
The central goal is to help states move beyond isolated, school-by-school approaches and build coordinated statewide and local partnerships so student mental health supports are more consistent, accessible, and connected to appropriate services.
Who is this funding opportunity designed for?
The FY 2019 competition invites applications from State Education Agencies (SEAs) as lead applicants, working in formal partnership with state and local counterparts.
What kinds of partnerships are expected under AWARE-SEA?
A defining feature is cross-system collaboration. State Education Agencies are expected to work in partnership with State Mental Health Agencies that oversee services for school-aged youth and to coordinate with local education agencies (LEAs), strengthening the connection between state-level policy and local implementation.
What are the three core purposes of the AWARE-SEA program?
The program purpose is threefold: (1) increase awareness and understanding of mental health issues among school-aged youth; (2) fund training for school personnel and other trusted adults who interact with students so they can detect signs of mental health concerns and respond appropriately; and (3) connect students who may have behavioral health needs, including serious emotional disturbance (SED) or serious mental illness (SMI), and their families to appropriate services.
What types of students does the program focus on?
The program focuses on school-aged children and adolescents, including students who may have behavioral health needs such as serious emotional disturbance (SED) or serious mental illness (SMI).
Does AWARE-SEA focus only on identifying mental health needs?
No. Identification is only part of the emphasis. AWARE-SEA prioritizes building practical linkages so that when a concern is identified, students and families can be connected to real supports delivered through schools, community providers, or state and local mental health systems.
What types of training activities are supported?
The grant supports training for school personnel and other adults who interact with students (such as educators, administrators, school support staff, and other trusted adults) to better recognize warning signs, engage students safely, and use clear referral and follow-up pathways rather than ad hoc responses.
How does the program describe the approach to referrals and follow-up?
The opportunity highlights the importance of clear pathways for referral and follow-up, aiming to replace improvised, inconsistent responses with coordinated processes that connect students to appropriate care.
How is youth violence prevention connected to this program?
The grant supports development and implementation of a comprehensive plan that combines activities, services, and strategies aimed at decreasing youth violence while also supporting student well-being and resiliency.
Is the grant intended to fund a single intervention or a broader plan?
AWARE-SEA is intended to support integrated approaches rather than a single intervention. The program is framed around building sustained, coordinated mental health promotion and early intervention strategies across state and local systems.
What kinds of system-level improvements does AWARE-SEA encourage?
The opportunity points to efforts such as aligning policies and protocols across education and mental health systems, improving referral networks, strengthening cross-agency data-informed planning, and ensuring schools have a clear structure for prevention, early identification, and connection to care.
What outcomes is AWARE-SEA trying to achieve for schools and communities?
Intended outcomes include improved student mental health, reduced risk factors associated with violence, healthier development, improved school climate, and safer, more respectful learning environments supported by a more integrated state-and-local infrastructure.
How does AWARE-SEA relate to the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative?
The program explicitly builds on lessons from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative, which is described as having a track record of improving safety and student mental health through coordinated, multi-agency strategies.
What is the funding opportunity number for this AWARE-SEA competition?
The funding opportunity number is SM-19-003.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 93.243.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant, listed within the health funding activity category.
When did the application window open and close for the FY 2019 competition?
The application window opened on October 24, 2018. The original closing date was December 24, 2018.
How many awards were anticipated, and what was the maximum award amount?
SAMHSA anticipated making eight awards. The award ceiling was $1,800,000.
Who is eligible to apply according to the posted eligibility category?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with clarification referenced in the official eligibility section. However, the competition is clearly described as targeting State Education Agencies as the lead applicants working in partnership with state and local counterparts.
What makes AWARE-SEA different from isolated school-by-school efforts?
AWARE-SEA is designed to promote consistent, coordinated approaches by building statewide and local partnerships, linking state-level policy and local implementation, and strengthening referral and service connections so schools are not left to manage mental health challenges on their own.
What does "increasing awareness and understanding" mean in the context of this grant?
The opportunity frames awareness as earlier recognition of mental health issues among youth, with the goal of reducing stigma and improving the likelihood that students receive help before concerns escalate.
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