The project team
 |  |  |
| Kym Asam BEST Technical Assistance & Coaching kym.asam@uvm.edu
| Cassandra Townshend BEST Project Director cassandra.townshend@uvm.edu | Amy Wheeler-Sutton BEST Project Co-Director amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions About Project AWARE @ CDCI
What does Project AWARE stand for?
The AWARE in Project AWARE stands for: Advancing Wellness And Resiliency in Education.
What does Project AWARE do?
In Vermont, the participating supervisory unions have established District Community Leadership Teams to:
- identify and manage priorities for change;
- develop and adopt roles of mental health clinicians to meet the needs across a continuum of supports; and
- build student and family/caregiver voice into their existing systems.
This spring, Project AWARE conducted a comprehensive analysis of the supervisory unions' social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health data to inform next year’s action planning.
Is Project AWARE VT part of a national program?
About Project AWARE nationwide
The national Project AWARE program builds or expands the capacity of each state's educational agencies to be in partnership with state mental health agencies, as they oversee school-aged youth. The project aims to increase mental health awareness in schools across states, territories, and tribal communities.
Project AWARE also provides training for school personnel and other adults who interact with school-aged youth to identify and respond to mental health challenges, and connects students presenting with behavioral health challenges and their families to needed services.
Nationally, the program has:
- increased mental health literacy among the schools and communities
- removed barriers to find care, and
- ensured cultural relevance for all school programs.
More about Project AWARE at the US Dept of Health & Human Services
What is an Interconnected Systems Framework?
An Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) deliberately integrates mental health, community, school, and family partners through a single system of delivery. It's a network that better connects schools and families with mental health supports in their communities.
Where is Project AWARE active in Vermont?
Project AWARE currently supports three Vermont supervisory unions in building an Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF).
2022-2023 PROJECT AWARE VERMONT SITES
Orleans Supervisory Union
Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union
Slate Valley Supervisory Union
Funding
Project AWARE Vermont is supported through federal funding, and led by the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Department of Mental Health. In addition to our team, other partners include Old Dominion University, the Center for Health and Learning, and UP for Learning.
Project AWARE VT is part of work performed by the Building Effective Supports for Teaching (BEST) Team. The BEST Project increases and strengthens capacity across Vermont, so that schools and their communities are better able to anticipate and respond do the needs of students who are at risk of or experiencing social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
Project AWARE VT @ CDCI is also supported by the UVM Center on Disability & Community Inclusion (CDCI).
