South dakota mental health awareness training grants (mhat) - the south dakota mental health awareness training (SD mhat) grant will expand the capacity of south dakota youth and youth-serving…

South dakota mental health awareness training grants (mhat) - the south dakota mental health awareness training (SD mhat) grant will expand the capacity of south dakota youth and youth-serving adults to detect and respond to mental health disorders impacting school-aged youth and will connect those identified with mental health needs to services. The SD mhat grant will focus on training youth and youth-serving adults including school personnel, youth serving organizations such as boys and girls clubs, and parents/guardians. As the single state authority, the south dakota department of social services, division of behavioral health and office of prevention services will lead the project in collaboration with the national alliance on mental illness south dakota (nami SD) chapter, to provide evidence-based training to youth and youth-serving adults. Supported programing will promote awareness surrounding mental health disorders among youth, school personnel, youth serving organizations and parents/guardians, encourage help-seeking behaviors, connection to needed mental health resources, and support for youth identified with mental health needs within their school and community. The project will be led by the prevention program administrator, with enhanced project support through the key personnel to assess, identify, and support the implementation of strategies that directly address the goals and outcomes of this funding opportunity. Key goals and outcomes will include increasing the mental health literacy of youth in south dakota middle schools, high schools, and youth serving organizations, increasing the mental health literacy of youth serving adults and parents/guardians, and support the referral of youth with mental health needs to mental health resources and support. The total number of individuals anticipated to be served through the life of the grant is 7,350 (year one: 950, year two: 1,325, year three: 1,875, year four: 1,700, year five: 1,500).