Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Summary. The CommuniCARE-AWARE, Mental Health Awareness Training Program, led by the North Mississippi Commission on MI/MR with 32 years of proven experience, will serve adults residing in Region 2, a geographic catchment area comprised of six rural medically underserved counties in North Mississippi where there is a high concentration of behavioral health issues, including Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and/or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), and existing behavioral health disparities. Name: CommuniCARE-AWARE Mental Health Awareness Training Program. Individuals Trained: Law enforcement, military recruiters, veterans and their families, National Guard, first responders, university students, primary care physicians, faith-based organizations, school personnel and the general public. Population of focus Adults (referred by mental health first aiders) 18 years of age and older with mental disorders, SMI; 39% female; 59% male; 1% transgender; 66% African American, 3% Hispanic/Latino 11% Multi-Racial; 29% White (non-Hispanic); 2% LGB; 75% trauma-involved; 60% Co-occurring Disorders and 1% HIV and/or viral hepatitis positive. Goal: Address existing behavioral health disparities by promoting mental health awareness trainings, decreasing stigma, expanding workforce training capacity resulting in expanded access and availability of trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services. Strategies: Use the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and MHFA for Public Safety training programs to certify MHFA instructors and implement MHFA trainings to: prepare mental health first aiders to appropriately and safely respond to adults with mental health disorders by utilizing de-escalation techniques; establish linkages with community-based mental health and refer adults with the signs or symptoms of mental illness to mental health services; develop and launch a training plan and social media campaign aimed at decreasing stigma; disseminate mental health awareness education and resource guides; convene an interagency advisory team representative of the communities served supporting strategies aimed at early identification, stigma reduction, and referrals to mental health services. Objectives: Of the 25 individuals trained/certified annually as MHFA Instructors, 80% will facilitate at least one (1) training in the year following their certification as an instructor; 100 participants will be trained each year and 90% will successfully complete the program; at least 85% of the adults trained will self-report an increase in adult mental health literacy, as measured by pre- and post-surveys; 85% of interagency advisory team members will attend 90% of leadership meetings; and increase the number of adult behavioral health referrals by at least 10%. Numbers served: 25 individuals will be trained/certified as MHFA instructors, totaling 75 in 3-years; 100 individuals will be trained as mental health first aiders, totaling 300 in 3-years; screen/assess 100 individuals referred by mental health first aiders, totaling 300 in 3-years.
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