West Virginia schools will receive nearly $10 million in federal grants to increase awareness of mental health among children and “curb gun violence,” the state Department of Education announced Wednesday.
The Mountain State is among 120 school districts or entire states across the nation to receive the Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education (AWARE) grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The project is part of President Obama’s comprehensive “Now is the Time” campaign, launched last year, which focuses on gun control.
The funding will support “mental health first-aid training” by training teachers to recognize and respond to mental health problems in children and will create partnerships between schools and communities focused on mental illness.
“We understand the critical role sch…
