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Project LAUNCH

Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health) is a federal initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The population of focus is children ages birth to 8. The goal is for all children to enter school with the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills they need to succeed.

Project LAUNCH is a five-year grant that was awarded to the State of Oregon from 2009-2014. Deschutes County served as the pilot site for this project.

Project LAUNCH had five prevention and promotion strategies. These include:

  • Screening and assessment in a range of child-serving settings
  • Integration of behavioral health into primary care
  • Mental health consultation in early care and education
  • Enhanced home visiting with a focus on social and emotional well-being
  • Family strengthening and parent skills training

Project LAUNCH also has five objectives. These include:

  • Increase access to screening, assessment, and referral to appropriate services for young children and families
  • Expand use of culturally relevant, evidence-based prevention and wellness promotion practices in a range of child-serving settings
  • Increase integration of behavioral health into primary care settings
  • Improve coordination and collaboration across disciplines at the local, state, territorial, tribal, and federal levels
  • Increase workforce knowledge of children’s social and emotional development and skills to respond to behavioral health challenges of young children and families