Rincon family services mental health first aid team - rincon family services will provide training for 350 community members from the general public and youth each year over five years serving 1750

The goal of rincon's mental health awareness team (mhat) is to prepare and train others on how to appropriately and safely respond to individuals with mental disorders, particularly individuals with serious mental illness (SMI and/or severe emotional disturbance (SED). RFS will use mhfa and youth mental health first aid (ymha), a training program that teaches members of the public how to help a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. Mhfa does not teach people to treat or diagnose mental health or substance use conditions, instead, the training teaches people how to offer initial support until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis resolves. Rincon's targeted population includes youth and the general public compromised of low income individuals in communities of color. The geographic catchment areas are humboldt park, austin, hermosa, logan square, belmont cragin, and avondale in the city of chicago. Remote training will allow RFS to provide training for participants in kankakee, illinois where we provide services with our affiliate the duane dean behavioral health center (ddbhc). In rincon's catchment area the impacts of covid-19, social unrest, and loss of economic opportunities have taken a toll on mental health, with the state's highest rates of covid infection, hospitalization, and death throughout the pandemic.