Tuesday, January 7, 2025
1/7/2025
The Association for Mental Health and Wellness (MHAW) proposes to provide mental health awareness training services to residents, employees and organizations of Suffolk County (SC), New York, as part of the 2021 Mental Health Awareness Training grant from SAMHSA. The #MHSTRONG2021 project is using the Mental Health First Aid curricula, both Youth and Adult (Public Safety module), interactive courses that present an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders. Trainees will be introduced to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems to build understanding of their impact and common treatments. The primary beneficiaries will be children/youth, ages 6-18, with serious emotional disturbances (SED), complex trauma histories and/or involved in the juvenile justice system; and adults, ages 19 and older, with serious mental illnesses (SMI) and/or involved in the criminal justice system. There is a growing need for mental health awareness among individuals who interact and/or work with individuals with SEDS/SMIs,with a history of trauma, and/or who are involved in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Gaps in services persist due to limited mental health and substance abuse providers, and the lack of awareness. SC children and youth, particularly those of color with complex trauma histories, and who are critically vulnerable to the impact of COVID, poverty and MS-13 gang recruitment; and could benefit from mental health support. SMIs/SEDs and trauma are especially heightened during pandemics and anxiety-related behaviors and overall lower perceived states of health are common (Psychiatric Times, 2020). Moreover, low-income and communities of color are experiencing higher death rates from COVID-19; and compounded by schools closures, children are in desperate need of care as they struggle with isolation and fear, and other factors that exacerbate mental illnesses. Similarly, among SC adult populations, there are greater numbers with mental illness as a result of COVID and criminal justice involvement. Recent COVID-related feedback from families living in under-resourced communities of color revealed that most fear homelessness and hunger, unemployment, trauma and loss from being sick or family and friends being sick or dying, behavioral health and addiction issues, increased in family violence, and concerns about mental health and child safety issues, among others. Additionally, adults who are involved in the criminal justice system are at critical risk of SMIs/SEDs and will be a primary focus. In fact, more than one third of the total SC inmate population are referred to the Mental Health Unit during incarceration. Nearly 78% have co-occurring substance-related diagnoses (Inmates Referred for Mental Health Services at the SC Correctional Facilities, 2012). To addresses these deficiencies, the #MHSTRONG2021 project will train a total of 4,780 individuals by the end of 2026; 956 on average annually, to help increase the capacity of trainees to reduce high risk behaviors of SC children, youth and adults with SMIs/SEDs; and safely and appropriately identify, respond to and refer individuals to mental health and related services.
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).