The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and its partners, Child Trends and Mental Health America, invite states to apply to participate in a two-year Learning Collaborative to advance health equity in schools through supports for developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based policies, practices, and programs focused on the emotional well-being of students and staff. Two to four states will be selected to participate for the 24-25 and 25-26 school years, along with two LEAs per state. Each participating LEA will receive a $7,500 stipend that may be spent at the discretion of the district. Click here to learn more about the initiative or contact Heidi Milby at hmilby@chronicdisease.org.

Why apply? Our youth are in crisis. Per the most recent YRBSS data, poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are increasing for nearly all groups of youth. Furthermore, we know school staff have been reporting high levels of stress and burnout. By joining this learning collaborative, state teams have the opportunity to address the crisis head on through connecting with and learning from other states and engaging in TA provision to LEAs in partnership with NACDD, Child Trends and Mental Health America. Learn more about the distinct roles of states and LEAs in this learning collaborative.

Applications are now open until July 5, 2024, 11:59pm ET and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. To ensure the best possible consideration, we strongly encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Click here to download a PDF of the application to review with your team. The application asks you to share the names of your team members and respond to a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions. Faxed, mailed, or emailed submissions will not be accepted. Notification of acceptance will be sent by July 31, 2024.

NOTE: We understand approvals are often needed to participate in these kinds of projects. If you are interested in participating in the project but need additional time for formal approval, we encourage you to proceed with submitting your application and we can work with your team to accommodate approval your approval needs.

Questions? Contact Heidi Milby at hmilby@chronicdisease.org.