notMYkid Receives Nearly $7.5 Million Grant to Expand Youth Prevention Services

Scottsdale-based nonprofit notMYkid has received a federal grant expected to provide nearly $7.5 million over five years to expand mental health and substance use prevention services for young people throughout Arizona.

The funding, awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will support the organization’s AWARE Arizona Project. The initiative will provide prevention education, early intervention, screening and treatment referrals for youth ages 10 to 18.

The project will expand notMYkid’s existing work in Maricopa County and establish staffing in Navajo, Mohave, Yuma, Cochise and Pima counties. The effort is designed to serve urban, rural, frontier and tribal communities, helping more families access resources closer to home.

“Families should be able to find the support and resources they need for their child,” said Emily Anne Gullickson, board president of notMYkid. “In partnership with HHS, this grant will help us build connections across Arizona so we can reach young people earlier, equip parents and educators to better recognize substance abuse and mental health concerns, and connect more than 100,000 youth with the right support each year.”

The grant includes $1,480,820 for the project’s first year, with anticipated funding of $1.5 million annually for the following four years. Continued funding is subject to federal requirements. Throughout the project, notMYkid plans to provide prevention education to at least 100,000 youth and 10,000 family members annually.

The organization will also train at least 1,000 educators and staff members from youth-serving agencies each year to recognize signs of substance use and mental health concerns, screen young people and connect them with early intervention services.

To help reach those goals, notMYkid will establish and strengthen community coalitions across all six counties. Local peer prevention specialists will deliver evidence-based education covering substance use, mental health, suicide prevention and bullying prevention. The project will also include family engagement workshops and youth-led activities.

Through Project REWIND, notMYkid’s existing early intervention program, the organization plans to enroll 1,500 youth annually. The program helps young people and their families address early substance use, rebuild trust and strengthen relationships. By working with schools, families and community organizations, the AWARE Arizona Project aims to help adults recognize potential concerns earlier and connect young people with appropriate resources before challenges escalate. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit notmykid.org.