Be Resilient and Voice Emotions (BRAVE), a program founded in 2019 designed
to reduce stigma and create conversations around mental health with youth, in alignment with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public
Safety Act, and is expanding throughout the State of Florida. This is
thanks to Florida House of Representatives Bill 3517 which will help fund
the program's statewide growth.
“We would like to express our appreciation to the House of Representatives
for recognizing the important work being done by the BRAVE program in
northeast Florida,” said Paige Stanton, Executive Director of UF
Health St. Johns Care Connect. “This will allow the expansion of
the program into more schools, positively impacting more youth in need
of this vital programming.”
The BRAVE Program supports access to behavioral health services via care
navigation and technology. BRAVE encourages youth to get in touch with
their mental health early on and to be open to receiving help. As part
of Care Connect, BRAVE works with the whole family to address social determinants
of, and around, mental health to ensure the delivery of the proper care,
at the right time, in the right place.
BRAVE is supported by the Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives approved $1.5 million in appropriations
for the BRAVE program in the state’s 2025-26 budget. This funding
will help the mental health program continue to grow and make an impact
on youth across the state of Florida.
The Florida Association of School Administrators was founded in 1977, FASA's
mission is to support and empower administrators in providing high-quality
education to all students in Florida.
FASA is the second largest and fastest growing-education association in
the state and has a membership of nearly 5,500 superintendents, principals,
assistant principals and district-level administrators.
BRAVE is a FASA partner to help execute the statewide expansion of the
BRAVE House Bill 3517.
*Currently serving: St. Johns, Clay, Putnam, Nassau, Columbia, Okaloosa,
Volusia, Lake, and Sumter counties.
health with youth, in alignment with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public
Safety Act, and is expanding throughout the State of Florida. This is
thanks to Florida House of Representatives Bill 3517 which will help fund
the program's statewide growth.
