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MUSD reports Project AWARE screened 991 students; 182 enrolled in school-based counseling
Summary
Maricopa Unified School District staff told the governing board on Jan. 22 that Project AWARE, a five-year SAMHSA grant, screened 991 students in the first semester; 182 were enrolled in school-based counseling and 18 were referred to community services.
Maricopa Unified School District staff told the governing board on Jan. 22 that Project AWARE, a five-year grant funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has helped the district screen and triage hundreds of students and is now shifting toward sustainability planning.
Miss Pastore, a district presenter on Project AWARE, said the grant "is a 5 year comprehensive grant and, our grant cycle will end September of 2026." She said Project AWARE funds district efforts to build a sustainable infrastructure for student mental health, align supports with the district strategic plan and expand staff training and community partnerships.
Project AWARE team members described the district pathway for identifying students and delivering services. Becky Horn, mental health counselor at Desert Wind Middle School and lead counselor for the district, said counselors screened or triaged 991 students during the first semester of the 2024-25 school year. "Of the students triaged or screened in the 1st semester of the school year, 182 students were enrolled in school based counseling and 18 students were referred to community based services," Horn said. She and other staff noted that the school-based total does not capture students continuing from prior years or those served through Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans.
Board members pressed staff for more detail about outcomes and sustainability. Caroline Lopez asked whether the district tracks academic or attendance improvements tied to counseling interventions; Pastore and other staff said the district collects referral and outcome data monthly and reviews discipline and academic indicators for students receiving services. Pastore described work with Hanover Research to produce reports on chronic absenteeism, school safety and student outcomes; those reports will inform decisions about which initiatives to sustain after the grant ends.
Board members also asked about training and parent engagement. Staff said Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) suicide-prevention gatekeeper training was provided to half of the district's freshman students this semester because it fit into an existing mandatory freshman class; the district is exploring expansion to other grades and parent versions of the training. Staff said the district purchased ParentGuidance.org subscriptions to give parents on-demand mental-health content.
On follow-up, staff said they are documenting referrals to community partners and following up when families do not connect to services. Pastore said memorandums of understanding (MOUs) are in place with Horizon Healthcare and La Frontera Impact and the district has prioritized partnerships intended to continue after the grant period.
The presentation drew extensive board discussion about metrics to judge effectiveness. Members urged staff to return with more measurable outcomes tied to attendance, grades or other indicators before the grant ends so the board can prioritize which programs to preserve with alternate funding. Staff said they are examining return-on-investment and will continue seeking external funding opportunities where appropriate.
The presentation was an information item; no board action was taken.
