Mental Health Awareness Training Project

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The MHAT team (Mental Health Awareness Training) provides training in Mental Health First Aid, QPR, and Mental Health Workshops. In addition to training, MHAT promotes mental health awareness in the community through social media campaigns and community collaboration, and distributes information of local resources to assist families and individuals suffering from mental health issues.

The three-year grants totals $363,092. MHAT will offer mental health training targeting individuals working with the youth and young adult populations 4-25 years of age. The training sessions will follow the Mental Health First Aid curriculum.

The Program

Mental Health First Aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis until professional treatment is obtained or the crisis resolves.

Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based public education and prevention tool – it improves the public’s knowledge of mental health and substance use problems and connects people with care for their mental health or substance use problems.

People who enroll in local Mental Health First Aid courses learn a 5-step action plan to help loved ones, colleagues, neighbors, and others cope with mental health or substance use problems.

One in five U.S. adults lives with a Mental Illness. In the Adult Mental Health training you will learn; Common signs and symptoms of mental illness, Common signs and symptoms of substance use, How to interact with a person in crisis, How to connect the person with help, Along with expanded content on trauma, addiction and self-care.

One in five youth ages 13 to 18 lives with a mental health condition. That means in a class of 25, five students are impacted. That’s why it’s so important for all adults who interact with youth to take Youth Mental Health First Aid, an 8-hour course that teaches participants how to help adolescents who are experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.

MHAT will provide the Mental Health First Aid training to 2,100 individuals over the next three years. In addition to training, MHAT will promote mental health awareness in the community through social media campaigns and community collaboration, and distribute information for local resources to assist families and individuals suffering from mental health disorders. The program began on September 30, 2018. The training sessions began on October 18, 2018.

SAMHSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. The SAMHSA will fully fund all MHAT project operations including the Mental Health First Aid training sessions and social media campaigns. Over the three-year grant period, MHAT will provide 70 training sessions, with approximately 2100 participants, with a goal of increasing participants’ knowledge of mental health disorders and the available resources for mental health treatment.

The QPR’s mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.

KEY COMPONENTS COVERED IN TRAINING:

  • How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be suicidal
  • How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
  • The common causes of suicidal behavior
  • The warning signs of suicide
  • How to get help for someone in crisis

Workshops

These interactive sessions are designed to provide participants with the opportunity to increase their awareness of mental health. The workshops are 30 to 60-minute evidence-informed segments. Each workshop addresses a specific topic. Some topics include Mental Health in the Workplace, Mental Health Awareness, Self-Care, Listening and having a Conversation, encouraging professional help, kids in crisis, and recognizing signs and symptoms. We are working on additional topics that will be coming out over the next couple of months.

Upcoming Events