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Family Services of the Merrimack Valley proposes to implement the Merrimack Valley Mental Health Awareness Training (MV-MHAT) Project, which will train adults who regularly interact with youth in six Massachusetts communities (Andover, Lawrence, Lowell, Haverhill, Methuen, and North Andover) in the Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) curriculum. YMHFA will build the knowledge and skills of trainees to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness (MI) and serious emotional disturbances (SED) amongst middle and high school students (ages 12–18), and safely link them with appropriate resources. Over the five year project period, the MV-MHAT Project will train 1,560 adults including teachers, guidance staff, paraprofessionals, security officers, coaches, volunteers, mentors and other community members. The long term goal of the MV- MHAT Project is to measurably increase the number of young people ages 12–18 with mental illness (MI) or serious emotional disturbances (SED) who are connected to appropriate resources and professional treatment. The short term goal is to increase the number of youth-serving adults, who are trained in Youth Mental Health Frist Aid and are therefore able to 1) recognize the early warning signs of MI and SES, and 2) intervene and connect youth with resources and treatment. Toward that end, FSMV will achieve the following measureable objectives: 1) train MV-MHAT to become YMHFA instructors, 2) deliver the YMHFA training to 1,560 individuals over the five year project, 3) Provide written information to trainees that includes information on referral protocols, directories of mental health treatment providers, as well as community, state-wide and national resources for individual and family support. 4) Follow up with all First Aiders within six months of training completion through at least three touch points (bi-monthly newsletter, individual outreach, six-month post survey), 5) collaborate with project partners to create written resource and referral policies, and 6) maintain collaborative partnerships with at least three additional mental health treatment providers to assist in responding to mental health issues, coordinate service availability, facilitate access to treatment, and share resources for non-clinical support services.

Board of Child Care (BCC) will implement the Youth Mental Health First Aid Project, training youth care professionals, educators and school staff, health and human services workers, mental health outreach and crisis personnel, as well as parents, family, and community members, in the evidenced- based Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) model. Training participants are adults who work with, support, and/or interact with school-age youth and youth that have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, serious emotional disorders (SED) and/or significant histories of complex trauma. Throughout the lifetime of the project, 2025 individuals who work with and care for these at risk youth will be trained in YMHFA. The success of this initiative will be delivered through a strong network of community partners committed to supporting the increase of capacity for YMHFA training in the target regions of Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Mid Shore (Caroline, Talbot & Dorchester) counties of Maryland (MD); Berkeley and surrounding counties in West Virginia (WV); and Cumberland and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania (PA). YMHFA addresses identified service gaps in each region by providing training on universal, early, and secondary levels of awareness and intervention for mental health and substance use disorder needs. YMHFA responders will develop the confidence needed to flexibly respond to youth in need, meet them where they are, and refer them to clinical services and other supports, including self-help resources and resilience-building strategies. Mental Health First Aid is an internationally recognized program that is listed in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). The 8-hour YMHFA course is designed for adults who regularly interact with adolescents. As a public education program, Youth Mental Health First Aid has the potential to reduce stigma, improve mental health literacy, and empower individuals. The course teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, and substance use disorder. Participants do not learn to diagnose, nor how to provide any therapy. Rather, participants learn to support youth developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis by applying a core five-step action plan. The YMHFA training also addresses the role of trauma as a risk factor for mental illness, a common issue for the target youth population of this project. BCC’s partners for this project include the Anne Arundel Co. Mental Health Agency, Baltimore Co. Bureau of Behavioral Health, Baltimore Co. CASA, Caroline Human Services Council, Family Resource Network of the Panhandle, Blue Ridge Community & Technical College, Shepherd University, Berkeley County Schools, WV Dept of Health & Human Services, Team Care LLC., United Methodist Association and the Balt – Wash, Pen – Del and Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Mental Health First Aid, an evidence-based Mental Health Awareness Training, will be augmented and expanded in Stanislaus County, CA and Merced County, CA to first responders; educators; older adults and caregivers of older adults; veterans, armed services members, and their families; parents and families of youth exhibiting signs and symptoms of mental health issues; and community-based human services staff. Trainings will be offered in either English or Spanish depending upon the participant’s primary language. Total to be trained is 360 annually for a total 1,800 unduplicated individuals during the grant period. Populations of focus for which the training is intended to help are adults, youth, older adults, and veterans. This includes individuals who are homeless that first responders have repeat contact with, Spanish speaking, struggling in school, are isolated both physically and geographically, and cultural groups for which there is stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. Goal 1: Educate individuals in Stanislaus and Merced counties, with a focus on Spanish speaking Latino/a community members, regarding mental illness and community resources available to decrease the stigma associated with receiving services for mental disorders. Objective 1.1: By January 15, 2022, revise and implement a Mental Health Awareness Training plan utilizing the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid and implement community outreach and engagement strategies to ensure a broad representation of community members and professionals receive MHFA training. Objective 1.2: By November 1, 2021, all MHFA classroom materials, mental health resources brochures, electronic materials, and flyers will be made available in both English and Spanish. Objective 1.3: By October 1, 2021, bi-lingual and bi-cultural Spanish-speaking trainers will be available to conduct both MHFA Adult Spanish and MHFA Youth Spanish as requested by program partners. Staff are currently in place under the FY18 MHAT grant to the agency. Goal 2: Increase the number of evidence-based Mental Health First Aid trainings offered in Merced and Stanislaus counties, which will result in an increased number of individuals trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders. Objective 2.1: Increase the number of MHFA-certified trainers in Stanislaus and Merced counties by training 3 new trainers to deliver Adult and Youth MHFA by June 30, 2023. Objective 2.2: Offer MHFA training an average of 2 times per month for the 60 month grant period. Objective 2.3: By September 30, 2026, grant funded trainers will have trained an average of 360 individuals annually for a total of 1800 unduplicated individuals trained. Goal 3: Enhance the linkages with both school and community-based mental health agencies to refer individuals with the signs and symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services. Goal 4: Increase the number of first responders (law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 dispatchers), downtown small business owners, elementary and secondary educators, veterans, older adults, and caregivers/parents trained in Mental Health First Aid to improve their ability to identify persons with a mental disorder and employ crisis deescalation techniques.

Loretto Hospital's MHAT Project will provide Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Training to local church leaders, law enforcement agencies, public officials, and other key stakeholders to increase the mental health literacy of individuals living and working in Chicago's Austin and immediate surrounding communities. Loretto Hospital's MHAT Project will deliver training within the hospital's primary service are and support the entire Austin, West Garfield Park, and North Lawndale communities. Given the high prevalence of unmet needs in the area, the hospital is committed to implementing a community-wide plan that not only allows individuals to safely respond, but also increases access to care through warm hand-offs to organizations that can provide the appropriate level of care and treatment. The objective of this project is to train individuals on how to safely identify and respond to those experiencing a mental health crisis, especially those with or experiencing events of severe mental illness (SMI), severe emotionally disturbed (SED), or substance use disorder (SUD). Overall, the Austin community reports significant trauma for its citizens with higher rates of violent crimes, percentages of children living in poverty, and Potential Years of Life Loss compared to the rest of Cook County and the entire city of Chicago. Loretto Hospital will train hospital staff and community partners in MHFA using the ALGEE Action Plan. Over the five years of this project, the goal is for Austin residents to report improvements in encounters and relations with law enforcement and those experiencing a mental health crisis through increased use of de-escalation techniques. Another goal is the reduction in arrests and detentions for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, a reduction of more than 50% is the goal.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in West Virginia Public Schools This project aims to address a critical need facing communities in West Virginia through the provision of Youth Mental Health First Aid training (YMHFA) to school personnel employed in public schools in the state. We intend to provide training to a diverse array of school personnel, including (but not limited to) teachers, school counselors, support staff, paraprofessionals, and administrators. Given the bevy of mental health challenges facing youth and adolescents nationally and in West Virginia, this evidence-based training provides school-staff important knowledge, skills, and resources to recognize signs of mental illness, de-escalate a child who is distressed, and ensure timely referral to licensed community-based mental health providers, when applicable. Moreover, for every school in which YMHFA is provided, one teacher will be tapped to receive complimentary YMHFA instructor training. This unique feature will help develop and sustain a school culture that is sensitive to students’ mental health needs, greatly aligning with the grant’s aims. Moreover, the proliferation of trained YMHFA instructors will provide boots-on-the-ground support for school staff who may need assistance implementing YMHFA strategies and best practices. The project has several goals and measurable objectives. Firstly, to address this critical need facing West Virginia’s school communities, we intend to train at least 625 unduplicated school personnel in YMHFA, by the end of the project period. Second, to promote sustained school-based mental health resources and school-based support, 25 public school teachers in West Virginia will receive complimentary YMHFA instructor training by the end of the project period. Through providing complimentary YMHFA and YMHFA instructor training to West Virginia school districts, we intend to foster school environments that are sensitive to students’ mental health needs and have the capacity to ensure students receive the clinical mental health resources and services they may need.

The Targeting Our People’s Priorities with Service, Inc. (TOPPS) organization located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas will implement the Jefferson County Mental Health Awareness Training (JCMHAT) Project to parents, laypersons, law enforcement first responders, and youth, ages 10-17. The JCMHAT Project will be implemented in Jefferson County in collaboration with the Pine Bluff Housing Authority, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Care Behavioral Services to reach 440 adults and youth annually, totaling 2,200 persons during the funded five years. TOPPS will use the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid interventions. The goal of the JCMHAT Project is to increase the ability of parents, laypersons, and law enforcement first responders to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders impacting youth and adults. The following objectives will be implemented to achieve the project’s goal: (1) Train 60 (300 during 5 years) parents with children age 18 and under in YMHFA and 60 laypersons in YMHFA or MHFA (300 during 5 years) (2) Train 20 (100 during 5 years) law enforcement first responders in YMHFA or MHFHA; (3) Provide a 1-hour mental health and substance use presentation to 300 youth, ages 10-17 (1,500 during 5 years); (4)Sustain and expand the number of YMHFA/MHFA trainings held in the community by increasing the number of trainers; and (5) Develop and distribute information on mental health and substance use related topics and resources and expand TOPPS website and social media platforms to provide information and articles on mental health, substance use, services providers, etc.

Swords to Plowshares project, Combat to Community: Veteran Mental Health Awareness Training will provide veteran cultural competency education for law enforcement, first responders, behavioral health providers, legal professionals, and other service providers. The project aims to train 2,000 San Francisco Bay Area professionals that serve veterans over five years, with annual yearly goals as follows: Year 1, 300; Year 2, 350; Year 3, 400; Year 4, 450; and Year 5, 500. The project’s focus population is veterans with military service and transition-related mental disorders, serious mental health illness and serious emotional disturbance conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST), substance use disorder (SUD), depression, and suicidal ideation. Swords to Plowshares will provide training in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area including the cities within Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Napa County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Solano County and Sonoma County. Veterans experience increased rates of PTSD, TBI, and sexual assault, and substance use disorder; each of these conditions increase their risk of homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2019 Annual Homeless Point-in-Time reports and finds 2,445 veterans are homeless in the targeted region, 74% are living unsheltered. California Veteran Suicide Data Sheet notes 526 veterans committed suicide in 2018 at rate more than double their civilian peers (30% vs. 14.4%). Swords to Plowshares’ Combat to Community: Veteran Mental Health Awareness Training program aims to improve awareness of veterans’ mental health issues by training service providers who may encounter veterans. The goal of the training is to increase identification of veterans, and increase awareness of veterans’ military experience, challenges veterans face in their transition to civilian life, and recognition of symptoms, behaviors, and signs of mental illness among veterans. Our trainings follow an evidenced-based Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) model, focusing on de-escalation strategies, aiding trainees to recognize a mental health crisis, de-escalate a potentially violent encounter, engage with appropriate mental health referrals and other support. We expect that 85% of individuals trained will report positive outcomes, including increased ability to identify veterans among those they interact with in crisis and ability to make appropriate mental health referrals; and development of new skills to improve their interactions with veterans in crisis.

Florida Pathways to Awareness, Support and Services (FPASS) is a partnership between the University of Central Florida (UCF), juvenile justice prevention and intervention agencies, law enforcement/emergency services, and behavioral health agencies to coordinate, strengthen, and expand efforts to provide Mental Health First Aid (Y/MHFA) and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) training, community-based referral options, and behavioral health education/outreach in 14 circuits across Florida. An interdisciplinary workforce of professionals who interact with high-risk youth (ages 6-17) and young adults (ages 18-25) will be trained. Our population of focus includes youth/young adults ""at-risk"" for juvenile justice involvement, serious or chronic juvenile offenders, and those who have experienced serious emotional disturbances, mental illness, developmental disabilities, a history of self-harm behavior, or have early symptoms of a mental health (MH) disorder or first episode of psychosis. Project goals aim to (1) enhance MH literacy and skills among parents and professionals to recognize signs/symptoms of MH problems (Objectives: develop comprehensive training/evaluation plans, develop formalized community partners (MOUs), implement Y/MHFA and QPR training, fidelity and evaluation plans); (2) improve cross-system referrals and linkages via the adoption of screening referral protocols across service sectors (Objective: develop MH risk identification/referral pathways, develop cross-system referrals between behavioral heath providers, assess changes in gatekeeper behaviors); (3) improve MH/suicide risk identification and crisis de-escalation techniques to appropriately respond to the needs of high-risk youth/young adults (Objectives: develop de-escalation training and referral plans, develop/disseminate de-escalation and suicide risk resources, deliver de-escalation training, measure changes in MH/suicide risk identification, preparedness, and de-escalation skills among trainees); and (4) increase public awareness/education about MH and community resources via the promotion/dissemination of help-seeking resources (Objectives: develop community outreach/engagement plans, develop disseminate community resource directories and educational materials/resources to increase MH awareness, participation in community events to cultivate partnerships and promote MH awareness). Over the life of the project, 44 unduplicated professionals will be trained to deliver Y/MHFA and/or QPR (12 instructors in Y1; 9 instructors in Y2; 13 in Y3; 10 in Y4). These instructors will train a total of 3,058 unduplicated professionals and parents/guardians (Y1: 427 trained; Y2: 626 trained; Y3: 725 trained; Y4: 741 trained; Y5: 539 trained). At trainings/events, 9,590 help-seeking resources and MH educational materials will be disseminated (Y1: 1,608 resources/2 events/63 trainings; Y2: 1,976 resources/2 events/70 trainings; Y3: 2,140 resources/2 events/63 trainings; Y4: 2,218 trainings/2 events/78 trainings; Y5: 1,648 resources/2 events/57 trainings) and 7,452 de-escalation and suicide risk screeners will be provided. All performance measure tracking, evaluation efforts, and quality assurance monitoring will be performed by UCF evaluators.

Summary: Over 125 years, Family Service of Rhode Island will provide culturally and developmentally appropriate mental health awareness training, including crisis de-escalation techniques, to 3,800 adults who are in frequent contact with RI youth, ages 6-18; develop and disseminate a local Resource Toolkit for these adults; and convene and facilitate quarterly partner network meetings with trained individuals and organizations. Project Name: Project Support Ocean State Plus (SOS+). Populations Served:3,800 adults who are in frequent contact with RI youth, ages 6-18, representing child/family-serving organizations; school personnel; law enforcement; victim service providers; peer recovery coaches; families impacted by substance use disorder; and military members and their families. Strategies/Interventions: Project SOS+ will deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid Training (YMHFAT), an evidence-based practice for adults who are in regular contact with youth and children, ages 6 – 18. YMHFAT trains adults to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness in youth ages 6-18, safely de-escalate crisis situations and initiate timely referrals to mental health and substance use disorder resources. Goals:1) Increase community competencies in signs and symptoms of mental disorder and serious emotional disturbance in children and youth, ages 6-18; 2) Establish a statewide network of trained partners to increase access to mental health services for children and youth. 3) Offer YMHFAT statewide to law enforcement, EMS, fire department, schools and other child-serving agencies to increase knowledge and skills around crisis de-escalation.4) Develop and broadly disseminate resources including a statewide mental health resource guide (Resource Toolkit) to support First Aiders in connecting children to appropriate mental health resources. Overview of Objectives:1) Deliver 12-24 YMHFATs yearly for the life of the grant, including 7-10 trainings in Spanish, as needed. 2) Train approximately 3,800 adults with frequent contact with RI youth ages 6-18. 3) Convene and coordinate quarterly partner network meetings;4)Design and implement a referral tracking system; 5) Train 200 adults per year in law enforcement, EMS, fire departments, schools and other child-serving agencies in de-escalation training for a total of 1,000 trained. 6) By the end of year 1, publish a Resource Toolkit electronically and distribute hard copies to all trained adults. Total Adults Trained Annually: Year 1: 600; Year 2: 800; Year 3: 800; Year 4: 800; Year 5: 800 Total People Served At End of 5 Years:3,800.

CommuniCARE-AWARE Mental Health Awareness Training Program will utilize Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), an evidence based program, to educate and train participants on the risk factors and warning signs of mental problems and build an understanding of the importance of early intervention, and overview common supports. MHFA uses role playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health or substance use crisis through a 5 step action plan, with the ultimate goal to connect people to appropriate professional, peer, social and self help care. this project will train 25 additional trainers each year and 100 first aiders each year.

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health's FY21 MHAT grant application is designed to increase mental health literacy among school staff, parents and caregivers, and front-line workers through Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid training.

The Rhode Island Emergency Medical Services Mental Health Awareness Training (RI EMS MHAT) project will provide mental health awareness training to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) practitioners licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Center for Emergency Medical Services (CEMS). There are approximately 4500 EMS practitioners in 83 EMS agencies in RI. In 2019, RI EMS practitioners played a vital role in responding and assessing about 39,000 people with behavioral health emergencies (BHE). The program targets the State of Rhode Island, focusing on responding to those who access 911 with a BHE and caring for EMS practitioners' mental health. The project will implement evidence-based mental health awareness training such as Mental Health First Aid training and SAMHSA online training: Creating Safe Scene and Service to Self. The project team will also identify resources and develop written and electronic materials for EMS practitioners to assist the focus population. The project team will collaborate with behavioral health partners to encourage offline medical direction in EMS protocols for BHE referral and enhance the Rhode Island EMS Information System (RIEMSIS) to document referral in the electronic patient care report. As part of the program goals, we also aim to foster local relationships between EMS agencies and their local mental health partners and emphasize de-escalating techniques when responding to behavioral health emergencies. The RI EMS MHAT program will focus on training EMS practitioners, improving response and referral, and caring for the first responder. Four specific program goals and its objective will help address each focus area by 2026. The first goal is to increase EMS practitioners' ability to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health disorders in Rhode Islanders that access 911. The second goal is to increase EMS practitioners' ability to appropriately and safely respond to individuals with BHEs. The third goal is to improve and increase the number of resources and referral mechanisms available to EMS practitioners. The fourth goal is to increase EMS practitioners' awareness of the inherent risk they are exposed to and promote their learning to their community and self. The main objectives include training 450 EMS practitioners per year and up to 3000 EMS practitioners, increasing EMS practitioners' confidence in responding to a behavioral health emergency by 50%, improve the existing referral mechanisms and increase the number of referral of patients who access 911 and are experiencing BHEs by 60%. RI EMS practitioners will also increase their perception of the resources available to them when experiencing a mental health issue by 20% on the Rhode Island EMS Mental Health Temperature Survey (MHEAT survey).

The Neighborhood Healers: Training Black Community First Responders in Mental Health First Aid project includes development and execution of a 12-month fellowship for Black community first responders who will be trained in Mental Health First Aid. This project will improve mental health awareness, literacy, service initiation, and access for Black people in Lexington, Kentucky. Fellows will be featured in a Black Mental Health Public Education Campaign, in addition to providing Mental Health First Aid to community members in need. An Annual Black Mental Health Survey will serve as the evaluation mechanism for this project, which will train 20 Black community first responders annually. One hundred Black community first responders will participate in the Neighborhood Healers Fellowship over the five-year funding period. Community first responders are members of the public, rather than professionally trained people, who are typically the first point of contact in distress or crisis. Among Black communities, where there is understandable cultural mistrust of professional first responders due to documented racial inequity in the quality of service they receive, community first responders often include pastors and first ladies, hair stylists/barbers, community elders, family members, civic organization members, and educators. Thus, providing Mental Health First Aid training to Black community first responders is a sustainable way to impact long term change for Black people, who have underserved mental health needs. Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based training for community members, with proven efficacy in increasing mental health literacy and increasing rates at which people who undergo the training refer to licensed mental health professionals. Through the development of the Neighborhood Healers Fellowship program, we intend to harness the strength of existing relationships to amplify the importance of mental health awareness and treatment for Black people in Lexington, Kentucky. Project goals include: Goal 1: Establish a sustainable network of trained Black community first responders to increase Black Lexingtonians’ initiation and utilization of mental health services. Goal 2: Reduce mental health stigma of Black Lexingtonians.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Erie County will deliver Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training that benefits numerous populations, including veterans, victims of trauma, students, and low-income populations. The training will be provided by trained and certified Adult and Youth MHFA instructors and teach participants how to assist someone facing a mental health challenge or crisis. The full populations of focus these trainings are provided to assist are as follows: veterans, active-duty service members, and their families; victims of trauma; the elderly, dying, disabled and their families; students; and low-income families. These populations will be served by providing MHFA training to the following groups: military and their families; first responders, such as law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS; caregivers and service providers for senior citizens; school personnel; and organizations that serve low-income families. The primary intervention will be Adult and Youth MHFA training, which are evidence-based practices. MHFA training is appropriate because of the disparate populations that NAMI will serve through this project. Veterans, first responders, school personnel, senior center employees, etc. all have different skillsets, abilities, experiences, and backgrounds, but MHFA training is applicable to all of them. MHFA provides information on mental health and mental illnesses, such as symptoms, prevalence, treatments, and recovery statistics. Participants learn an action plan, the ALGEE process, which will enable them to assist when they encounter someone facing a mental health challenge or a mental health crisis until appropriate professional help can become involved. De-escalation techniques are also taught in the training. The goal of the project is to increase the capacity of Erie County residents to administer MHFA to populations at greatest risk of facing mental health challenges or a mental health crisis. To achieve this goal, the main objectives for each year of the grant are reaching a target number of individuals trained in MHFA. Additional objectives include training instructors to increase capacity for training, as well as data analysis, reporting, and quality improvement. This program will serve an average of 255 unduplicated individuals per year, for a total of 1,275 unduplicated individuals served over five years.

This proposed project, WJCS Mental Health Awareness Training Program, will utilize the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training to provide in-person training designed to increase the community’s capacity to help individuals appropriately and safely respond to individuals with mental disorders, particularly individuals with SMI and/or SED. The individuals to receive mental health awareness training include 920 teachers and school personnel; 325 law enforcement and emergency services personnel; and 420 families, caregivers, and service providers in contact with armed services personnel, veterans, and their families. The population of focus for which the training is intended to help are youth, adults and veterans who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) living in low-income communities of Westchester County that have been disproportionately affected by the trauma stemming from COVID-19 and systematic racial disparities. Westchester County, lying just north of New York City has the greatest income inequality in NY outside of Manhattan. In Westchester, the pandemic has taken a devastating toll on youth, families and adults. The short- and long-term impacts of this experience and the ongoing pandemic are wide-ranging and severe, particularly for children who have lost a parent or a caregiver. The pandemic further exacerbated and sharply exposed these systemic racial disparities long faced by communities of color at the same time social unrest was peaking throughout the nation in protest of the police brutality directed towards Black men and women. Goal #1: Increase the ability of Westchester County teachers and school professionals, law enforcement and emergency responders and families, caregivers and service providers in contact with armed services personnel, veterans and their families to recognize signs and symptoms of mental disorders, particularly serious mental illness (SMI) and serious emotional disturbances (SED), to decrease the stigma associated with receiving services for mental disorders surrounding the population of focus for which the training is meant to help. Objective a) Total Number of Unduplicated Individuals to be trained in MHFA, YMHFA and CIT with Grant Funds: 300 Year 1; 300 Year 2; 335 Year 3; 335 Year 4; 335 Year 5; Total 1,665. Goal #2: Increase access to MH services in Westchester County for the population of focus, especially those with SMI or SED, by utilizing steering committee made up of community representatives who can serve as 'credible messengers' and establish linkages with MH agencies and facilitate referrals of individuals with the signs or symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services. Objective a) Each year hold 4 steering committee meetings with at least 6 community partners representing target population to focus on access and linkages to MH. Objective b) Each year establish 5 new community linkages for school personnel working with our target to expand referrals for individuals with signs or symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services. Objective c) Each year establish 5 new community linkages for law enforcement and emergency service personnel working with our target population to expand referrals for individuals with signs or symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services. Objective d) Each year establish 5 new community linkages for veterans, families of veterans and veteran service personnel to expand referrals for individuals with signs or symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services. Goal #3: Increase the ability of MHFA, YMHFA and CIT participants in Westchester to make referrals to further MH evaluation and/or available community resources in Westchester. Objective d) Total Number of Unduplicated Individuals referred to further MH evaluation and/or community resources with Grant Funds: 150 Year 1; 150 Year 2; 177 Year 3; 177 Year 4; 177 Year 5; Total 831.

CASES' Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) program, "Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Non-Violent Crisis De-escalation among Government and Nonprofit Agency Staff Serving Individuals Involved in the Criminal Legal System in New York City," focuses on promoting mental health awareness among citywide criminal legal system (CLS) provider staff and the individuals they monitor and/or serve, including with a focus on Harlem-focused providers and residents. The program responds to the over-reliance on law enforcement and inpatient hospitalization as responses to mental illness in New York City as evidenced by disparities in the incarceration of individuals with mental health need and specifically in Harlem, a community with high rates of resident incarceration and psychiatric and substance use-related hospitalization. The latter, similar to many New York City communities of color with high rates of resident CLS-involvement, indicates a lack of access to and/or utilization of outpatient and other early intervention treatment services for individuals with mental illness. CASES seeks to promote improved awareness and capacity to support CLS-involved New Yorkers with mental illness through delivery of the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) curricula. CASES will leverage its program offices in Central Harlem, home to the organization's State-licensed Nathaniel Clinic, a Certified Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) that will serve as a primary treatment referral destination for individuals identified as in need in the MHAT program. The CASES MHAT will train 3,520 individuals in MHFA over the grant term: 570 in Year 1, 700 in Year 2, 725 in Year 3, 750 in Year 4, and 775 in Year 5. The MHAT will a) increase the capacity of New York City CLS government and nonprofit staff, including with an emphasis on Harlem-based/serving staff, and CLS-involved youth and adults across New York City in understanding mental illness and how to help someone with signs/symptoms of a mental health issue including in the de-escalation of acute crises; b) activate MHAT trainees to refer their clients with mental health need to appropriate treatment and support services; and c) create a CLS-competent mental health treatment and services resource guide to support MHAT trainees in making referrals and their clients in accessing treatment.

Individuals to receive mental health awareness training as part of the Del Norte Mental Health Awareness Training program (DN MHAT) include school employees, interested parents, employees of county social services, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and the Yurok Tribe. The trainings will increase the capacity of attendees to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, increase collaboration with tribal and community-based mental health agencies and inform individuals of resources available for individuals with mental health concerns. DN MHAT Leadership Team with input from community partners developed the following Goals: 1) Increase the capacity among school employees and community stakeholders to detect and respond to mental health problems, crisis or illness in school-aged youth; 2) Improve the referral pathway for students to local mental health services; 3) Reduce the mental health stigma in the county; and 4) Improve the De-escalation skills of staff and community stakeholders. The DN MHAT program will begin Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Training for school employees in the fall of 2021. Also in the fall, the Cal Well project will fund training two additional YMHFA trainers in the community to increase the local capacity of providing YMHFA training. DN MHAT will work with our tribal partners and the educational services department to ensure that the trainings are developmentally appropriate for the population of focus

The Lake Traverse Reservation is the home of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (SWO) Tribe—a Federally-recognized Tribe. The Reservation is located in northeastern South Dakota and part of southeastern North Dakota. The Reservation has approximately 110,000 acres of land in trust and multiple parcels of land and buildings in fee status within the town Sisseton (Roberts County), SD. SWO has a current enrollment of about 14,000 Tribal members, about 6,000 of whom reside on the Reservation. The proposed SWO Mental Health Awareness Training initiative, led by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Housing Authority (SWOHA), will bring first-of-its-kind training resources to the Lake Traverse Reservation, delivering eight-hour evidence-based Youth Mental Health First Aid training sessions to over 280 individuals annually. Suicide is an epidemic on the Lake Traverse Reservation, however youth are particularly vulnerable. For this reason, the identified “population of focus” will include youth.

Preferred’s MHAT project will provide mental health awareness professional development activities to more than 8,000 nonprofit professionals over the course of the next five years. Training topics will include Mental Health First Aid, Question – Persuade – Refer instrumental use/analysis, Evidence-Informed Mental Health Workshops, and other behavioral health-specific training subjects. As a result of this comprehensive professional development project, a series of project-specific outcomes will be realized by September of 2026. These include (this list is not meant to be comprehensive): 1) 8,400 individuals will be trained in Mental Health awareness over 5 years: (Mental Health First Aid-30 people per month x 12 months= 360 per year x 5 years= 1,800 people; QPR- 90 people per month x 12 months=1,080 per year x 5 years= 5,400 people; Evidence informed mental health workshops-20 people per month x 12 months= 240 per year x 5 years= 1,200 people); 2) there will be a 5% decrease in number of students who will have reported that they seriously considered suicide by 2026 in geographic area; 3) there will be a 5% decrease in the number of students who will have reported that they planned suicide by 2026 in geographic area; 4) there will be a 20% decrease in suicide deaths among students by 2026 in geographic area; 5) there will be 5% decrease in the number of students who will have reported that they are very sad by 2026 in geographic area; 6) there will be a 5% decrease in the number of students who have reported that they feel hopeless about the future by 2026 in geographic area; and, 7) 90% of adults surveyed will have reported an increase in knowledge of available resources for mental health treatment in their area (as measured by pre-test/post-test results). To fully implement the proposed project, Preferred Family Healthcare is requesting a total of $625,000 over the next five years ($125,000 per year). The project is slated to be implemented between September 30, 2021 through September 29, 2026.

Coastal Horizons, the primary provider of mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services in Southeastern North Carolina, will deliver evidence-based mental health awareness training to teachers and school personnel who interact with children/youth in a school setting, representatives from law enforcement and juvenile justice, primary care providers, and the general public who interact with children or youth with a serious emotional disturbance (SED), adults with severe mental illness (SMI) and those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD). Training will be conducted in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Bladen and Columbus Counties. The project will be known as the Coastal Horizons Center Mental Health Awareness Project. The goals and objectives of the proposed project are as follows: Goal 1: Implement in-person evidence-based mental health awareness training to assist members of the community in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness and to respond appropriately. Objective 1: Develop a mental health awareness training plan to increase mental health awareness and literacy for teachers and relevant school personnel, law enforcement, DJJ, and primary care providers. Objective 2: Implement the plan by delivering Mental Health First Aid for Adults and Youth to address and recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness, providing de-escalation techniques for crisis/non-crisis situations, and assisting those trained with information on mental health resources/services to link individuals with mental health issues with these resources. Goal 2: Identify resources and supports for the individuals being trained specific to their catchment county so they may assist the population who will be served in getting connected to needed services. Objective 1: Research and compile information on mental health resources/services within the catchment areas. Objective 2: Refine and obtain information and develop written and electronic materials for those trained to link the individuals who will be served, particularly those with SMI and/or SED, to services. Goal 3: Establish referral mechanisms that increase the ability of the individuals trained in mental health awareness training to refer and link the population of focus to mental health resources/services. Objective 1: Provide coordinated referral, services, and follow-up to those who will be served for evidence-based school- and community-based mental health resources and services. Coastal Horizons will establish a referral link for screening/assessment on its website as a mechanism to increase accessibility to services/treatment. Objective 2: Establish relationships with local businesses, and community groups to broaden and link community resources/supports to the population of focus. The proposed project will train 250 individuals annually with a total of 1,250 throughout the five-year project.

The Mississippi Mental Health Awareness Project for School Personnel (MHAPS) and its coalition of partners will serve K-12 youth in the North Mississippi region (NMR), a 32-county catchment area that is 91% rural and entirely designated as medically unserved for primary and mental health care, where there are high rates of pediatric anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide when compared to national and regional trends. Individuals trained: Pre-service and active K-12 teachers, principals/ vice principals, school counselors, nurses, safety officers, and transportation staff who are placed within the 53 NMR school districts. Population of focus: Youth who are K-12 students in NMR schools who have or are at-risk for mental illness or substance use disorders; 51% male, 49% female; 56% white, 38% black; 79% median graduation rate; 22%-39% poverty status; 34% experiencing clinical anxiety, 26% experiencing clinical depression, 32% alcohol use, 6% heroin use, 5% amphetamine use; 12% suicide attempt rate during previous year. Goals: (A) Decrease existing behavioral health disparities among NMR youth by implementing mental health awareness trainings, decreasing stigma, and increasing capacity of the K-12 workforce for responding to youth with or at-risk for mental illness; (B) Decrease existing behavioral health disparities among NMR youth through referral/linking to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services by K-12 workforce members. Strategies: Establish and expand a MHAPS Coalition; Use the Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) program to certify instructors; Deliver YMHFA trainings to K-12 school personnel in the NMR to identify and respond to students utilizing de-escalation techniques and increase referral/linking of youth to available mental health and substance use resources; Complete regular NMR county-specific mental health and substance use resource mapping and provide resource to YMHFA trainees and public; Increase referrals of youth to local and tele-mental health services by YMHFA trainees. Objectives: MHAPS will train/certify 9 individuals as YMHFA Instructors over the project term who will deliver at least 3 in-person YMHFA trainings in the year following their certification as an instructor; Deliver in-person YMHFA trainings to K-12 school personnel; At least 85% of the individuals trained in YMHFA will self-report (a) an increase in recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health disorders, (b) positive changes in attitudes and beliefs towards mental illness, (c) increase in mental health crises de-escalation knowledge and skills, and (d) increased confidence and likelihood to perform the YMHFA action plan; Develop and distribute county-specific written and electronic mental health and substance use resource guides to 100% of individuals trained for each of the 32 NMR counties; Increase the number of youth behavioral health referrals to regional tele-mental health clinic. Numbers served: 9 individuals will be trained/certified as YMHFA instructors; 2,000 individuals will be trained as mental health first aiders; 10% increase in NMR K-12 students referred to regional MHAPS tele-mental health partner over the project term.

Family Service Agency (FSA) in Santa Barbara County (SBC), California, proposes the Mental Health Awareness Training Project (MHAT) to train individuals in the county who have a strong impact on youth to recognize the signs of mental disorders and how to respond appropriately and safely to connect youth in need with services. Youth in grades 6-12 are the population of focus that MHAT is intended to help. FSA will provide training using two versions of the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). FSA will train teens in grades 10-12 with Teen MHFA (tMHFA) and will train parents of youth in grades 6-12 with Youth MHFA (YMHFA). YMHFA will also be provided to mental health professionals and school counselors, educators, and other school personnel in Lompoc Unified School District (LUSD), which includes the Vandenberg Air Force Base; Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD); Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD); Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD); and Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD). YMHFA training will be provided to first responders, including law enforcement officers, and other community members. The overarching goal of FSA’s MHAT initiative is to train individuals in the county (e.g., youth, parents, mental health providers, educators, other school personnel, first responders, law enforcement) who strongly impact the lives of youth to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders and how to respond appropriately and safely to connect these youth with needed services as early as possible. The total number of participants to be trained through MHAT is 4,868. FSA will seek to achieve the following objectives: 1) To train 429 high-schoolers (in grades 10-12) per year in recognizing and responding to the signs of mental health issues in their peers using the tMHFA model (for a total of 2,145 trained). 2) To train 178 school teachers and other school personnel (e.g., administrators, counselors, school nurses, after school supervisors, etc.) per year in Years 2-5 in recognizing and responding to the signs of mental health issues in youth and 143 in Year 1 (for a total of 846 trained). 3) To train 121 parents per year in Years 2-5 in recognizing and responding to the signs of mental health issues in youth and 91 in Year 1 (for a total of 575 trained). 4) To train 32 first responders, including police officers, per year in Years 2-5 in recognizing the signs of mental health issues in youth and how to respond appropriately and 24 in Year 1 (for a total of 152 trained). 5) To train 121 mental health and related workforce professionals in mental health-related practices/activities that are consistent with the goals of the MHAT grant per year in Years 2-5 and 91 in Year 1 (for a total of 575 trained). 6) To train 121 other community members not included in the above groups per year in Years 2-5 and 91 in Year 1 (for a total of 575 trained). 7) To provide one training per year in YMHFA on the Vandenberg Air Force Base for military families and veterans. 8) To refer at least 300 youth in need to mental health and related services annually. 9) To increase the number of youth in grades 6-12 referred to mental health services by 10% over baseline by Year 5.

The MHAASA PR-MHAT Project will provide training for identification and interventions with person showing symptoms of mental illness and de-escalation techniques for crisis situations. Using MHFA, PFA and Trauma Informed EBP's, over 5 years, 2,500 First Responders, law enforcement officers, emergency staff, teachers and other school personnel, and caregivers of children with SED and older adults, including with SMI, will be trained. The Unit for Training and Technical Assistance (UCAT) will implement the project, handling all logistical arrangements. The Institute for Research (and Evaluation (IRESA) of the University of Central Caribbean (UCC), with certified trainers, will be contracted along with other trainers. At least 5 new MOU's will be developed with Departments of Education, Security, Emergency Management and Family Services, and CBO's that are MH providers to identify, select and refer participants for in-person or virtual services. Coordination of MH referrals will take place through APS, licensed MH provider for Medicaid-eligible populations. The MHFA EB training, an 8 hour course will focus on helping persons with MH symptoms or experiencing a crisis. Under PFA, training will be offered to survivors in the aftermath of a disaster or crisis. Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, this EBP is directed to preventing PTSD, helping responders understand reactions and how to assist survivors with adaptive coping skills for recovery. Under Trauma Informed Care, participants will be trained to understand impacts of trauma and help those with these experiences to develop coping skills for recovery. The MHAT goals/objectives include training about 500 participants per year implementing culturally appropriate curricula for Puerto Rico to increase knowledge about resources available for referral of persons needing MH treatment. MHAT staff will give follow-up to gather data on referrals. The project will operate under an experienced Project Director, with an experienced Training Coordinator and Data Analyst. Data will be collected on process (numbers of trainings and participants) and outcomes (learning and satisfaction) as well as fidelity to selected EBP's, using instruments of the 3 EB models. A total of $125,000 is requested for YR 01 and $625,000 is projected for the 5-year grant, including implementation, data collection and evaluation funds.

Lifeline Connections will provide Mental Health Awareness Training for Law Enforcement, First Responders, Educators, and Caregivers in Clark County, Southwest Washington to help individuals appropriately respond to mental health crises. School-age children with mental health disorders, adults and transitional aged youth with mental health and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and adults with serious mental illness will receive help when needed. The project includes hiring a full-time Program Coordinator who will be trained in evidence-based Mental Health First Aid/Youth Mental Health First Aid. They will facilitate in-person trainings on a weekly basis at the Clark County Community Health Center and on-site at local schools, police and fire stations, emergency medical services offices, and group care homes. The goal is to increase the capacity of teachers and school personnel, law enforcement, first responders, and caregivers of adults with SMI to safely respond to individuals in a mental health crisis and to refer the populations of focus to appropriate treatment and support resources in Clark County. Project objectives: • For each year of the project, a minimum of 90% of the individuals trained in all sectors will report an increase in knowledge around the signs and symptoms of mental illness and strategies used to help a person in crisis; • By the end of each project year, we will train a minimum of 300 professional educators on how to respond to a youth mental health crisis; • By the end of each project year, we will train a minimum of 450 law enforcement officers in Mental Health First Aid including how to appropriately screen and refer individuals to the Crisis Stabilization & Wellness Center; • By the end of each project year, we will train a minimum of 300 EMS and/or fire response personnel in Mental Health First Aid and how to appropriately screen and refer individuals to the Crisis Stabilization & Wellness Center; • By the end of each project year, we will train a minimum of 110 adult care home providers in Mental Health First Aid. The project will train 1,160 individuals each year for a total of 5,800 people over the 5-year project period.

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is requesting $536,200 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) under solicitation FY2021 Mental Health Awareness Training Grants to support the Oklahoma Mental Health Training Expansion for Law Enforcement project. The project will provide three new avenues of mental health training for law enforcement including the development of a hybrid in-person/virtual Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) option, expansion of live training models including Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety (MHFA-PS), and an expansion of virtual mental health continuing education eLearning content. ODMHSAS will serve 100 officers in year one with a total of 900 officers served over the course of the project. The training methodology will ensure access to high quality mental health training for officers in frontier, rural, and urban locations throughout the state and will incorporate pre and post training surveys to identify attitudes and stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Project goals include: Expanding access to CIT in Oklahoma by hiring a full-time trainer position, working with the statewide CIT training team to develop a sustainable hybrid training model, and developing and providing a CIT refresher course for previously trained officers. Enhancing access to mental health continued education to Oklahoma law enforcement through developing and providing two live courses per year (MHFA-PS pre-selected as one course) and developing two eLearning courses per year. Support the ongoing use of best practices in law enforcement education through the supporting the attendance of some members of the CIT training workgroup to the CIT international conferences and evaluating the training outcomes associated with the four key training concepts identified- Specificity, Individual Differences, Attitude Strengths, and Conformity/Obedience.