Monday, April 28, 2025
4/28/2025
InterCommunity's Mental Health Awareness Training Project - Over the course of the next five years, InterCommunity Health Care (IC) is determined to implement an expansive and comprehensive mental health awareness training program for community members within Connecticut’s Greater Hartford region using the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). The program will build the capacity of local officials comprising law enforcement and school personnel to respond to mental health crisis situations effectively and safely within the surrounding community. These professionals continue to largely be responsible for responding to mental health crisis situations in the Greater Hartford community. Widespread disparities in access to behavioral health services and resources exist within IC’s catchment area, with Hartford and East Hartford designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for behavioral health, and there is an identified need to strengthen the crisis response infrastructure in the Hartford area. Our population of focus comprises the general public, children, adolescents, adults, veterans, and individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), substance use disorders (SUDs), and co-occurring mental and substance disorders (COD). These individuals are at high risk of developing a mental health problem or crisis, and additionally face disparities in access to mental health care and associated resources. IC is a longstanding provider of integrated behavioral health, primary care, and substance use disorder recovery services in Greater Hartford. IC is leveraging a strong network of partnerships within our catchment area of Hartford, East Hartford, and Glastonbury, Connecticut to train local officials and personnel to respond to mental health and crisis situations and to effectively employ de-escalation techniques. To address the behavioral health disparities that persist in the region, IC will provide trainings to 1,650 local officials in Greater Hartford and each training will consist of between 25-30 participants. Our primary goals are to: (1) Increase and promote MHAT training through Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and to expand the capacity to train community members who interact with vulnerable populations to recognize signs and symptoms of mental disorders and safely and appropriately intervene; (2) Strengthen referral mechanisms that increase the ability of the individuals trained in mental health awareness to refer and link the population of focus to IC’s mental health and substance use recovery resources and services; (3) Educate the Greater Hartford community about mental health issues and increase knowledge of available community resources and materials and how to effectively access them. By the end of the grant period, 1,175 referrals will be made to our mental health services from our community partner agencies to address existing mental health services gaps and disparities in the region.
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).