About Project AWARE

The Colorado Department of Education was awarded $10 million by The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) spread over five years to build infrastructure and expand the capacity of the state and district partners around mental health. Colorado’s Project AWARE works to build a comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated school behavioral health services system that supports every student in Colorado in reaching their fullest potential in school and life.

The Colorado Department of Education collaborates with behavioral health stakeholders across the state, including the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) to improve mental health awareness and response. In addition to broader, statewide activities, Project AWARE partners with four local education agencies (LEAs) to support best practices to inform Colorado schools and communities interested in accomplishing similar goals. The LEAs include Archuleta School District, Ignacio School District 11-JT, Colorado Springs D11 Schools, and Littleton Public Schools. This is the second time Project AWARE has been implemented in Colorado--the former LEAs were Aurora Public Schools, Fountain-Fort Carson School District, and Thompson School District.

In addition to our LEA partners, Project AWARE collaborates and aligns with other CDE departments to focus on improving school climate, safety, and social emotional learning within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) model to build capacity for high impact school and community-behavioral health interventions and supports.