FROM CLASSROOMS TO COMMUNITIES: ADDRESSING THE YOUNG ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING AND EARLY INTERVENTION IN GRANVILLE AND VANCE COUNTIES

<p class="p2">This proposal outlines an upstream strategy to strengthen lifelong learning and well-being for young adults in Granville and Vance Counties, North Carolina. Grounded in the Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being framework, it responds to the County Commissioners&rsquo; call for equitable, long-term solutions to youth mental health needs, educational disparities, and key social determinants. Both counties face significant behavioral health challenges, limited school-based resources, and fragmented data systems shaped by socioeconomic inequities and rural barriers. At the same time, strong community assets&mdash;including early literacy efforts, faith-based engagement, and partnerships with UNC and Duke&mdash;support coordinated action. The proposal recommends a School-Based Behavioral Health Initiative with four components: expanding in-school behavioral health services, developing an adolescent mental health data dashboard, establishing a representative steering committee, and implementing a community engagement strategy centered on youth and family voice. A six-month pilot and alignment with state investments will promote sustainable improvement.