CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,800,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the West Virginia Department of Education for Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education). The program works to increase mental health awareness among youth, train school teachers and employees to detect and respond to mental health issues and connect youth who may be experiencing behavioral health issues to needed services.
“As children head back to school, it’s important we continue to provide those struggling with mental health issues the resources and support system they need,” Senator Capito said. “While the pandemic has highlighted how important these services are, we cannot forget about West Virginia’s youth who are exposed to adverse childhood experiences in their everyday lives. This is an area I continue to focus on and I know this funding will ultimately help kids and families cope with traumatic experiences, and help uplift our communities and improve employment, health, and academic outcomes.”
“Increasing awareness about mental health and behavioral health issues is extremely important, especially among young West Virginians. The funding for Project AWARE is great news for the Mountain State and will help prioritize mental health in schools. Not only will the program increase mental health awareness, it will also train school administrators and teachers to recognize and respond to students who may be experiencing mental or behavioral health issues and help connect the students and their families with services. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have on our state and will continue to advocate for resources to support West Virginians in need,” Senator Manchin said.
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