About Us
The goal for Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health) is to promote young child wellness by reducing fragmentation and integrating services at the state, tribal, and local levels. Effective partnership and collaboration are at the heart of this process.
About Project LAUNCHThe health and prosperity of our families, communities, and nation require an investment in the physical and emotional health of our young children. Nationwide, 24 communities are pioneering new ways to promote young child wellness through Project LAUNCH, a federal initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The target: children from birth through age 8. The goal: for all children to reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones. Healthy growth in each of these areas builds the foundation for children to thrive in school and beyond. | Federal and Other PartnersCollaboration 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. Just as LAUNCH responds for SAMHSA’s mission and goals, Project LAUNCH partners view the program as a vehicle supporting their own charge for promoting child wellness. |
Project LAUNCH GranteesThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funds states, tribal governments, communities, and the District of Columbia to improve the child-serving system by promoting collaboration aimed at reforming policies, sharing data, and evaluating practices; creating new and integrated funding strategies; and improving local service delivery. | SAMHSASAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. In order to achieve this mission, SAMHSA has identified 8 Strategic Initiatives to focus the Agency's work on improving lives and capitalizing on emerging opportunities. The Agency was established in 1992 and directed by Congress to target effectively substance abuse and mental health services to the people most in need and to translate research in these areas more effectively and more rapidly into the general health care system. |
TA CenterSAMHSA provides ongoing technical assistance (TA) to Project LAUNCH grantees through the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), and its partners the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development. The Project LAUNCH TA Center provides telephone and on-site TA as well as training and cross-site learning through both in-person and an array of distance learning strategies. | Cross-Site Evaluation TeamAbt Associates Inc. conducts the Project LAUNCH cross-site evaluation, which is funded through a partnership with SAMHSA and the Administration for Children and Families Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. This evaluation will assess both the implementation of Project LAUNCH at the state, community, and tribal levels, and the overall outcomes for children, families, and systems. |
