The PACT-MHAT will provide mental health awareness training to elementary, middle, and high school teachers and staff within the service area of PACT (Putting All Communities Together) for Families Collaborative in west central Minnesota. We will train school personnel in our member school districts, help high school youth learn peer support skills and equip parents with increased knowledge of mental health resources in their community. We will impact 19,000 students in grades K-12 attending one of the 14 participating school districts through training 2,200 school personnel, utilizing the “At-Risk for PK-12 Educators” suite of trainings with simulation software through Kognito. Included in our project will be Kognito’s “Transitions Supporting Military Children.” This component will provide schools and families with resources for children whose parents are involved with the military. These will be accomplished by the following:
Goal I: Increase the capacity of PACT member school personnel to gain competency to manage critical conversations in the areas of mental health and non-academic issues that impact school success, and increase early referrals for mental health services.
Objective I: By October 1, 2021, PACT-MHAT will have trained at least 2200 (one third each program year) teachers and school staff utilizing “At-Risk for PK-12 Educators” training simulation through Kognito in school districts within the PACT service area.
Goal II: To increase peer-to-peer support in middle and high school through training of youth in a peer support model.
Objective I: By October 1, 2021, PACT-MHAT will have trained at least 150 youth in Friend2Friend simulation trainings through Kognito in member school districts (one third each year).
Goal III: To increase understanding by parents and school personnel of social/emotional development, mental health indicators, and available mental health resources.
Objective I: By October 1, 2021, PACT-MHAT will have supported 14 parent/school nights in PACT elementary school buildings to increase mental health awareness to parents with information on the PACT-MHAT initiative, community mental health resources, distribution of MACMH (Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health) parent handbooks and other resources, and how to access the Kognito parent training, “Calm Parents/Healthy Kids.”
Objective II: By October 1, 2021, PACT-MHAT will have distributed the “Children’s Mental Health Resource Guide: An Educator’s Guide to Children’s Mental Health” (fact sheets for teachers on mental health diagnostic categories by MACMH) and other mental health information to the approximately 2200 education personnel in member school districts.