Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The Institute of Research, Education, and Services in Addiction (IRESA) of the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC), proposes Puerto Rico Mental Health Awareness Community Response (PRMHACR) Project. This project will train school personnel, emergency first responders, fire department personnel, law enforcement, veterans, armed services members, and their families among others on how to respond to individuals appropriately and safely with mental disorders, particularly individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or serious emotional disturbances (SED). The PRMHACR will target the Metro North Health Region (MNHR) of Puerto Rico comprised by the municipalities of Barranquitas, Bayamón, Cataño, Comerío, Corozal, Dorado,Naranjito, Orocovis, Toa Baja, Toa Alta, and Vega Alta where the number of mental health cases is higher in comparison to other areas. This project is a capacity-building initiative seeking to prepare, strengthen and expand the community response to the segments of the vulnerable communities experiencing social determinants of poverty and unemployment and at risk of developing any mental health disorder. PRMHACR will train 1,180 individuals from the community and social structures of help, serving and in close and continuous contact with this population in the curriculums of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults (MHFA-Older Adults), Mental Health First Aid for Veterans (MHFA-Veterans) among others. This will be accomplished by increasing the mental health literacy of individuals interacting with youth, older adults, and rural populations (YOARP) to recognize warning signs and symptoms, make appropriate referrals, and employ crisis de-escalation techniques when necessary. To ensure this identification, early referral and crisis de-escalation occurs, the project will establish a network of service providers, community leaders, local government officials, and health insurers to facilitate access to needed services. The implementation of PRMHACR aims to build, strengthen, and expand the capacity of the MNHR community members to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, particularly SMI and/or SED to deploy appropriate and safety response; and establish linkages within the MNHR to facilitate the process of referrals and service delivery.
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).
