Welcome to the Project LAUNCH Web site
Project LAUNCH is a grant program of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which seeks to promote the wellness of young children birth to age eight. Using a public health approach, Project LAUNCH focuses on improving the systems that serve young children and address their physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral growth. The goal: for all children to reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones. Project LAUNCH aims to have all young children reach their developmental potential, enter school ready to learn, and experience success in the early grades.
SAMHSA currently funds 16 states, one tribe, the District of Columbia, and six other local communities through Project LAUNCH. They each work in a designated community over five years to test evidence-based practices, improve collaboration among child-serving organizations, and integrate physical and mental health and substance abuse prevention strategies for children and their families. Lessons learned from these communities guides state level systems change and policy development.
We have designed this Web site as a resource for current and future Project LAUNCH grantees and for others interested in learning about how Project LAUNCH promotes young child wellness. Visit the site frequently for links to new announcements and resources and for information about Project LAUNCH grantees' activities and successes!
To learn more about Project LAUNCH, go to the About Project LAUNCH page.
Partners
SAMHSA
SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. SAMHSA supports many initiatives that promote wellness in young children and their families.
Federal and Other Partners
Collaboration is a hallmark of Project LAUNCH. To design and carry out a program that truly models and encourages the types of partnerships needed at all levels, SAMHSA works closely with a number of federal partners. It also collaborates with a variety of non-governmental partners.
The Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) initiative encourages schools and communities to work in partnership to create safe and healthy school environments in which youth can learn and develop.
The National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention provides training and technical assistance to school districts and communities as they plan, implement, and sustain initiatives that foster resilience, promote mental health, and prevent youth violence and mental and behavioral disorders.
This toolkit translates the lessons learned from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative into three bold steps so communities can create safe, healthy places where children learn, play, and grow.
