Saturday, April 20, 2024
4/20/2024
Mental Health Awareness Training Rx: Equipping Pharmacists with Mental Health First Aid (MHAT-Rx) will increase community pharmacists’ awareness of mental illness. Pharmacists will be trained and certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to help them recognize the early signs and symptoms of mental illness and to assist in mental health crises. With MHFA training, pharmacists will be prepared to effectively communicate with, give reassurance to, and provide education and referral to members of the general public with whom they interact on a daily basis. Over the course of this 5-year initiative, MHFA training and certification will be provided to 330 pharmacists throughout the greater Los Angeles area of California each year, for a total of 1650 pharmacists. Pharmacists targeted for receiving the training will represent a widely varied and diverse community of individuals in the general public whom they serve, including a richly diverse and multiethnic population, underserved populations and active armed services and veteran populations. Using an in-person as well as virtual, evidence-based, interactive, pharmacy-specific, and case-based curriculum, participants will learn how to educate and assist members of their communities who may be experiencing early signs of mental illness or serious emotional disturbances, or a mental health crisis. MHFA training has been shown to improve mental health literacy, stigmatizing attitudes and helping behaviors across diverse populations including pharmacists. MHFA training teaches individuals not only how to recognize and respond to the warning signs of mental illness and substance use disorders, but also to link people to appropriate resources and treatment. Through our partnerships with Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and Pacific Clinics, two community-based, leading providers of comprehensive mental health, substance use and suicide prevention services across Southern California with a combined 165+ years of experience, MHFA trained pharmacists will be able to refer individuals with signs or symptoms of mental illness for assessment, support and treatment. The goal of this program is to help alleviate the mental health crisis in Los Angeles (LA) county by providing more pathways, specifically in the form of community pharmacist Mental Health First Aiders, for the recognition of symptoms and appropriate referral to individuals who otherwise would not seek mental health care. Our objective is to show that MHFA training in pharmacists can increase their knowledge and understanding, their ability to promote mental health and wellness, and their interest and ability in connecting individuals to appropriate care. Measurable objectives will include the number of pharmacists trained in MHFA, participants’ satisfaction with the training, participants’ confidence levels in the practical application of MHFA tools (including recognizing signs and assisting individuals experiencing symptoms), and the number of referrals made to mental health resources or services.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
