The Los Angeles LGBT Center's RISE (Recognize Intervene Support Empower) Mental Health Awareness Training (RISE MHAT) project will serve professionals in systems of care, juvenile justice, probation, and youth homeless service providers in Los Angeles and extending to other regions of California. The project seeks to address local barriers like the lack of LGBTQ+ - affirming mental health services and mental health promotion. The RISE MHAT project will provide a solution by training professionals who encounter LGBTQ+ youth in systems of care in the innovative RISE curriculum as well as the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid training, and they, in turn, will spread the knowledge and skills they gain in their interactions with LGBTQ youth. They will provide culturally sensitive support, thorough outreach, and access to mental health services.
The project aims to serve 5,000 individuals over the five years of the project, with the goals of:
1. Train individuals to recognize signs and symptoms of serious mental illness
2. Establish linkages with school and/or community-based mental health agencies to refer individuals with the signs or symptoms of mental health illness to appropriate services
3. Promote de-escalation techniques among emergency personnel and first responders
4. Educate individuals about resources that are available in the community for individuals with a mental disorder
We are confident that our culturally mindful approach will result in improving knowledge and access to mental health resources, thus supporting our efforts to reduce the incidence of substance misuse and suicide in our community.