Lake County Mental Health Awareness Training Grant (LCMHAT) - Be Free Lake, Inc. proposes to address the need for increased mental health awareness among individuals who interact and come into contact with persons who may be experiencing or exhibiting symptoms of a mental disorder. The goal of the Lake County MHAT Project is to build capacity in our community, to detect and respond appropriately to behavioral health concerns impacting adults and youth, and to connect them to needed services. Importantly, Be Free Lake, Inc. will work with schools, agencies, families, law enforcement and emergency services personnel, veterans, parents and families, medical care providers and policy makers to increase mental health awareness and training opportunities for all community members. The objectives of the Lake County MHAT Project are to: (1) train 2,800 individuals from school personnel, law enforcement, emergency first responders, veterans, armed services members, families and community members to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, including SMI and SED through in-person MHFA and virtual/blended MHFA2.0 Training by September 2026; (2) increase mental health awareness by reaching 5,000 individuals monthly thru mental health awareness training, social media, and activities by September 2026; (3) provide all Lake County school personnel and community based mental health agencies the resources (print and web-based) to accurately refer individuals with the signs and symptoms of mental illness to appropriate services throughout the life of the project by September 2026; (4) train 840 emergency services personnel, law enforcement, fire department personnel, veterans and others to identify persons with a mental disorder and employ crisis de-escalation techniques through MHFA Training and referral to CIT when appropriate by September 2026; (5) educate 2,800 individuals about resources and supports that are available in the community for individuals with a mental disorder, particularly those with SMI and/or SED by September 2026; (6) educate 500 youth (school-aged children) and adults including those with a serious emotional disturbances and serious mental illness on "You're Not Alone," a mental health awareness and social media campaign by September 2026; (7) refer and link 1,750 youth and community members to mental, emotional and behavioral health assistance, resources and services as measured by referrals monthly by September 2026; (8) will increase coalition capacity to implement evidence-based curriculum for MHAT to promote positive behavioral health by training 2 additional stakeholders/service providers as MHFA Instructors by September 2022; (9) increase membership in the established interagency advisory and leadership workgroup as measured by adding 2 new collaborative partners for MHFA Workgroup by September 2022; (10) strengthen BFL's infrastructure as evidenced by the development of a comprehensive long-term sustainability plan to provide MHAT beyond this grant period by September 2026. A new relationship with LC schools will enable the sustainability of YNA. BFL will train 500 individuals in years 1 and 5 and 600 individuals in years 2 through 4 totaling 2,800 over the entire project period in MHFA, an evidenced-based curriculum. BFL will reach annually 60,000 adults and youth through "You're Not Alone," a mental health awareness and social media campaign and 300,000 adults and youth over the entire project period with grant funding.
