Project Grant H79SM084261

DEPUTY EMPATHY AND AWARENESS TRAINING (DEAT) PROGRAM - THE DEPUTY EMPATHY AWARENESS TRAINING (DEAT) PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING TO PROFESSIONALS WORKING AT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S (LASD) INMATE RECEPTION CENTER. THE INMATE RECEPTION CENTER IF THE FIRST POINT OF ENTRY AND THE LAST POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN INMATES AT ALL LOS ANGELES COUNTY JAILS, THE LARGEST JAIL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. LASD PROFESSIONALS INCLUDE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, DEPUTIES, AND GENERAL STAFF WITHIN THESE FACILITIES. THESE PROFESSIONALS HAVE A HIGH INCIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF INCARCERATION HAVE HIGHER RATES OF ILLNESS. CENTER FOR HEALTH JUSTICE, A LEADING PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTION PROVIDER IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WILL PROVIDE 88 MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) TRAININGS TO 560 LASD PROFESSIONALS. EACH TRAINING WILL AVERAGE 5 PARTICIPANTS. (YEAR 1: 16 TRAININGS FOR 80 PEOPLE, YEAR 2: 24 TRAININGS FOR 120 PEOPLE, YEAR 3: 24 TRAININGS FOR 120 PEOPLE, YEAR 4: 24 TRAININGS FOR 120 PEOPLE AND YEAR 5: 24 TRAININGS FOR 120 PEOPLE). CENTER FOR HEALTH JUSTICE IS WORKING WITH LASD - THE LARGEST SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES - TO REACH THE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE KEY POINTS OF CONTACT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM LINKAGE TO SERVICES. THE TARGETED PROFESSIONALS FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY ARE HAVE LIMITED TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS OR DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES. LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND FIRST RESPONDERS ARE AT GREATER RISK THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN THEIR LIFETIME DUE TO CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN CONCRETE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND TO USE THE ALGEE METHOD FOR PROVIDING AID: ASSESS FOR RISK OF SUICIDE OR HARM, LISTEN NONJUDGMENTALLY, GIVE REASSURANCE AND INFORMATION, ENCOURAGE APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL HELP, AND ENCOURAGE SELF-HELP AND OTHER SUPPORT STRATEGIES. THE DEAT PROGRAM WILL UTILIZE THE ADULT MHFA CURRICULUM AND WILL ALSO UTILIZE THE MHFA FOR PUBLIC SAFETY MODULE AS APPROPRIATE FOR THE TRAINING AUDIENCE. THE MHFA PUBLIC SAFETY MODULE IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND ADDRESSES RECOGNIZING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF. THE DEAT PROGRAM WILL INCREASE (1) THE NUMBER OF LASD PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE TRAINED IN MHFA; (2) THE ABILITY OF LASD PROFESSIONALS TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL DISORDERS WHEN RESPONDING TO INDIVIDUALS IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS AND WHEN THEY ARE EXHIBITED BY OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF; AND (3) THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS REFERRED FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES MADE BY PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS. CENTER FOR HEALTH JUSTICE ANTICIPATES THAT AT LEAST 260 INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY REFERRED FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES OR SUPPORTS AS A RESULT OF THIS GRANT.