June 15, 2006 -- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launches 'Caring Across Communities' Grants

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issued a call for proposals for a grant program to address the mental health needs of underserved children and youth, with a special emphasis on projects that help children of immigrant and refugee families overcome cultural and language barriers to mental health services. Up to 15 three-year grants of up to $100,000 a year will be awarded to either public or not-for-profit institutions as lead organizations for the project, with funded projects to involve elementary, middle, or high schools as either the sole sites for services or as significant providers in a network. The announcement notes that children from immigrant and refugee families are often faced with economic, social, and personal hardships associated with the relocation of their families and may lack access to health, mental health, educational, and social services. Brief proposals may be submitted online not later than July 28, 2006, and applicants will be notified by August 22 if they are invited to submit full proposals, with the deadline for receipt of full proposals September 14. Full information about Caring Across Communities: Addressing Mental Health Needs of Diverse Children and Youth is available online at http://www.healthinschools.org/cac/cfp.asp. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services will serve as the National Program Office on behalf of the Foundation.