Project Grant H79SM091656

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Park County School District #1 $969,999 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.532) to implement Wyoming Project STRONG, a multi-district school-based trauma-informed mental health initiative.

Project STRONG strengthens and expands trauma-informed mental health systems serving approximately 12,300 pre-K–12 students across three Wyoming public school districts. Led by Park County School District #1 in partnership with two additional local education agencies, local community behavioral health providers, and other agency partners, the initiative implements universal behavioral health screening across all participating schools with the goal of screening at least 75% of enrolled students annually. The project establishes a coordinated framework integrating universal screening, Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervention systems, expanded school-based behavioral health partnerships, and data-driven continuous improvement efforts. Work includes expanding access to evidence-based Tier 2 supports for students with emerging social, emotional, behavioral, or trauma-related concerns and increasing referrals and successful linkage to behavioral health services by at least 30% over the four-year grant period. In Wyoming's frontier and rural communities, schools serve as the primary point of identification and referral for student mental health concerns due to provider shortages, transportation barriers, and limited access to child and adolescent behavioral health services.

Performance occurs in Powell, Wyoming. The period of performance runs through September 29, 2030.