Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
The immense impact of the pandemic of 2020, with exacerbation of racism, coupled with the impact of COVID 19 on lower income, minority, multigenerational households has had a major effect on the mental health of the William Paterson University of New Jersey (WPUNJ) students, faculty, staff and community. Undergraduate students have been identified as having depression, anxiety, somatization and stress secondary to the pandemic. We Provide Mental Health Awareness (WP MHA) is a training project that will reach over 3,000 individuals with the SAMHSA approved, evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainings (youth, teen and adult) to reduce stigma towards mental illness and increase a person's likelihood to refer others for support and professional help. The catchment area is Passaic County, New Jersey, with the hub for online and face to face trainings from WPUNJ, a Hispanic serving public institution of higher education with over 50% of students from a minority background. Providing MHFA trainer training and first aid certification to the faculty, staff, students and community will increase the capacity to deliver MHFA to the even larger NJ community. The training will include assessment of suicide and self-harm thus increasing the understanding of the spectrum of mental illness and continuum of mental health to the diverse community of WPUNJ. WP MHA can change the community awareness and attitudes toward challenges of mental illness and provide the needed skills for the diverse faculty, staff, students and community members to identify high risk behaviors that indicate the need for mental health services. In addition to increasing awareness of mental health challenges, this evidence based program has been demonstrated to provide needed access to community resources for those who need help and support. These changes in skills, attitudes and behaviors have been a consistent outcome for those trained in MHFA. William Paterson University of New Jersey, a trusted public center of learning, through increasing the number of MHFA trainers serving the greater community, will be continuing its history of teaching others to fish rather than feeding them one meal at a time.
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).