Project Summary: Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD), Behavioral Health Prevention Program’s (BHPP’s) proposed Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) project will provide mental health awareness training to individuals who live and work in community settings serving people at high risk for mental health issues based on multiple factors.
Project Name: Multnomah County Mental Health Awareness Training
Populations to be served: Populations of focus will be those research shows have heightened and unique risk for mental health issues, with an overall racial equity lens recognizing that systemic racism is a significant threat to mental health for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). Namely, populations of focus include youth, especially LGBTQ youth and BIPOC youth; BIPOC adults; adults in the construction industry; military veterans; and older adults. Individuals to receive training will include people who live and work in community settings serving the populations of focus.
Strategies/interventions: The project will use Mental Health First Aid, including the general adult version, military veteran version, and older adult version, as well as Youth Mental Health First Aid. These trainings are evidence-based public education programs.
Project goals and measurable objectives: Goals are to 1) Increase community capacity to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders among youth and other vulnerable populations; 2) Reduce suicide and related risk disparities among at-risk populations, including BIPOC youth, LGBTQ+ youth, BIPOC adults, veterans, older adults, and others at risk; 3) Reduce stigma around mental illness to increase referral and access to appropriate treatment for people who may be at risk of suicide or self-harm. Objectives are to 1) Build internal capacity to support community-based MHFA/YMHFA trainings; 2) Increase the number of community members, through community-based organizations, schools, and other community settings serving populations of focus, that are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders; 3) Ensure all MHAT trainers have in-depth working knowledge of the local mental health system, access points/process, and understanding of community perceptions of mental health services in general (myths, stigma, and the local mental health system) and develop a training module to supplement MHFA training.
Number of people served annually throughout lifetime of project: The project will train 360 individuals a year for the first two years and 702 individuals a year for Years 3-5, totaling 2,826 over the entire project period.