PROJECT AWARE
A POSITIVE IMPACT
Through partnerships with Indiana school districts, Project AWARE is helping to create awareness and empower students. By implementing mental health-related promotion, awareness, prevention, intervention, and resilience activities, schools are successfully changing the frequency of how mental health education is practiced—removing barriers for school-aged youth to access appropriate and effective behavioral health services.
OUR
GOALS
Project AWARE Indiana aims to effectively:
Develop and expand school-based mental health infrastructures within Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA), Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), and partner LEA schools to increase access to and promote sustainability of mental health programs, services, and supports
- Establish Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) teams to develop Tier 1, 2, and 3 services to meet the mental health needs of students
- Create and reinforce partnerships with local mental health providers
- Review and update local policies and practices related to student wellness
- Increase capacity for key mental health trainings
- Complete School Health Assessment Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE) to measure mental health program quality and sustainability
- Establish Advisory Board to discuss data, urgent needs, and opportunities for growth
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) provides a proactive framework of tiered instruction for supporting student achievement and outcomes.
School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation
The School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation (SHAPE) system is a public-access, web-based platform that offers schools, districts, and states/territories targeted resources for supporting school mental health quality improvement.
Increase capacity of LEA partner schools’ staff and students to employ evidence-based tools and systems of support to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health needs, including those related to experiencing trauma or grief or being exposed to violence, and link them to appropriate services
- Provide high-quality professional development opportunities for educators and community members such as Youth Mental Health First Aid and suicide prevention trainings
- Establish a school-based student suicide awareness and prevention training policy
- Create systems for identifying key indicators related to suicide risk and ideation to prevent suicide
- Create or adopt a comprehensive violence prevention program for assessing safety and risk in order to create risk-assessment team
- Expand existing support for teacher and school personnel to promote staff wellness, mental well-being, and resilience
Increase partner schools’ early identification of mental health needs, interventions to address them, referral pathways and the number of students identified, referred, and receiving mental health and tier 1 preventative services
- Universally screen student population to identify those in need of mental health support and/or assessment by a mental health professional
- Provide opportunities to students and staff to promote resilience, pro-social behaviors and prevent development of mental health disorders
- Utilize evidence-based tiered interventions such as mental health literacy (Tier 1), mental wellness and skills-based small groups (Tier 2), and individual school-based therapy (Tier 3)
- Develop clear and consistent referral pathways and procedures for families to increase access to mental health support
- Implement a comprehensive plan of culturally competent, developmentally appropriate, and evidence-based mental health services in each community
Increase student/family awareness of mental health needs, services and engagement through efforts that enhance partnerships and reduce stigma associated with mental health needs.
- Implement school wide initiative for students and families to reduce stigma associated with mental illness
- Establish connections with local partners and community coalitions to broaden and link resources to students and families
- Involve student and family voice in the creation and/or implementation of initiatives related to student well-being
- Utilize Change the Frequency campaign and increase the impact of campaign messaging
- Disseminate Science of Happiness (Indiana’s updated online learning course for educators) to improve educator wellness at local education agencies
Science of Happiness
Science of Happiness is a free course offered through the Indiana Department of Education that provides educators with practical strategies for nurturing their own happiness.
PROJECT AWARE - MAKING AN IMPACT
29,163
Educational professionals trained
3,036
Mental health professionals trained
152
Organizational industry partnerships to improve mental health practices
328,019
Students receiving either informal or formal mental health related assessment
31,780
Individuals referred to mental health or related services
19,003
Referrals resulted in delivery of mental health or related services
Dataset compiled and provided by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
SUPPORTING STUDENTS
IN ACTION
Through Project AWARE, school systems are creating mental health-focused initiatives that help in establishing safe and supportive environments for students. These efforts are making a true impact toward prioritizing student well-being.
Let’s connect!
Ready to learn more about Project AWARE or simply want to know more about mental health—we’re here to help.
Ready to Change the Frequency?
Need more information?
CONTACT US!
AWAREin@doe.in.gov
317.234.6849
All activities and resources shown on this website are a result of the FY 2018, FY 2021, and FY 2022 Project AWARE–SEA grant awarded to the Indiana Department of Education by the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), FOA, No. SM-18-006, CFDA No.