Mental Health Awareness Training for Caregivers, Caring Adults, and Community Organizations to Recognize and Respond to Young People at Risk for Mental Health Problems: The COVID-19 pandemic has created isolation, economic hardship and loss of loved ones, all risk factors for increases in stress and trauma that are likely to lead to more mental health problems. Like much of the country, the Metro Louisville region is just beginning to grapple with how to respond to the day-to-day reality of the intersection of the pandemic, racial discrimination, race-based trauma, and economic/social distress which are disproportionally impacting its already vulnerable, young people (children, youth, and young adults). Therefore, this project aims to empower caregivers, caring adults, and community organizations that are most close to vulnerable young people by providing them the knowledge and skills to engage in as much awareness and prevention work as possible to mitigate risks for mental distress and illness in young people now. Caregivers are critical to the physical, emotional, and social well-being of young people. Connecting to caring adults is a stated strategy for preventing and mitigating the harmful effects adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). Caring and connectedness within and beyond the family are powerful factors in protecting young people from negative behaviors and creating strong positive qualities (https://fivepromises. wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx). Building opportunities for all organizations, not just those with a mission of mental health care, creates a greater opportunity for enhance the mental health wellbeing of the whole community. Therefore, the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville will 1) assemble a community invested mental health awareness advisory board, 2) increase the number of Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper responders and Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certified instructors in the community, 3) provide mental health promotion and education to the Metro Louisville region, 4) train QPR and Adult and Youth MHFA to caregivers, caring adults, and members of community organizations, and 5) evaluate the proposed project. At the end of the project, 1000 caregivers, caring adults, or members of community organizations will have been trained in Adult MHFA, 1000 trained in Youth MHFA, and 500 trained in QPR. Twelve individuals will have been certified to teach QPR and/or Adult/YMHFA. A total of 500 individuals in the community will have mental health promotion and education. A final report will be disseminated on the project’s impact and lessons learned on how to best respond to young people at risk for or experiencing mental health problems.
