Project Grant H79SP085214

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Behavioral Health Solutions of South Texas $600,000 under the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.492) on September 30, 2026.

The recipient will implement the Strengthening Wellness, Achievement, and Networks (SWAN) Coalition project to reduce substance use initiation and progression among youth and young adults in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties in the Rio Grande Valley. The service area encompasses a population exceeding 1.3 million residents, with significant rural disparities particularly in Willacy County.

The SWAN project pursues five primary goals: strengthen and sustain a community-wide prevention coalition that engages multiple sectors and incorporates youth voice; increase community awareness and shift norms related to substance use through coordinated outreach and prevention messaging campaigns; expand access to evidence-based prevention services for youth and young adults in underserved and rural areas; build and enhance prevention workforce capacity through training, technical assistance, and cross-sector collaboration; and implement continuous quality improvement processes to monitor progress and sustain long-term prevention impact.

The project is guided by the Strategic Prevention Framework and will prioritize capacity building and community engagement. Collaborating organizations include Baylor College of Medicine and the National Institute for Behavioral Health.

Place of performance is Harlingen, Texas. The period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031.