Project Grant H79SM084388

FOOTHILLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING GRANT PROJECT - THE FOOTHILLS EDUCATION CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL (FOOTHILLS) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING (MHAT) GRANT PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE REFERRALS AND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR STUDENTS BY IMPLEMENTING TRAINING TO ENHANCE THE SKILLS OF EDUCATORS, ESTABLISHING LINKAGES TO COMMUNITY- BASED MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, AND PROVIDING EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING AND AWARENESS AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS. MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES SHOW FOOTHILLS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HIGH RATES OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS, ALL RECENTLY COMPOUNDED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE OFTEN UNMET OR UNDERMET DUE TO RURALITY AND LACK OF AWARENESS AND ACCESS. FOOTHILLS IS A GEORGIA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL THAT SERVES AS A NON-PUNITIVE, ALTERNATIVE, EVENING SECOND-CHANCE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OR BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN A TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL. FOOTHILLS CONSISTS OF NINETEEN INDIVIDUAL SITES: 14 IN PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 3 SITES IN GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS LOCATIONS, A VIRTUAL YOUTH CHALLENGE SITE SERVING FT. GORDON AND FT. STEWART AND A FULLY VIRTUAL STATE-WIDE SITE. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS FOR THE MHAT PROJECT ARE THE 2,600 FOOTHILLS STUDENTS WHO ARE AGES 14-22 AND LIVE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA. AS A STATEWIDE PUBLIC CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL, FOOTHILLS PRIMARILY SERVES STUDENTS IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA REGION OF THE STATE, BUT INCREASINGLY IS SERVING STUDENTS STATE-WIDE WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE FULLY VIRTUAL SITE. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE: (1) TO ENHANCE THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS SKILLS OF FOOTHILLS EDUCATORS AND STUDENT SERVICES STAFF THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) TRAINING; (2) TO ESTABLISH REFERRAL MECHANISMS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR FOOTHILLS STUDENTS; AND (3) TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL AWARENESS AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS SPECIFIC TO THE NEEDS OF FOOTHILLS STUDENTS. OVER THE 5 YEAR LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT, OVER 800 EDUCATORS WILL BE TRAINED IN MHFA WITH BETWEEN 100-200 TRAINED ANNUALLY. EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS TO BE TRAINED INCLUDE: TEACHERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, GRADUATION COACHES, CAREER SPECIALISTS, SITE DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT SITE DIRECTORS, REGISTRARS, RECEPTIONISTS, PAID MENTORS, AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. A SUMMARY OF OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: TRAINING 100% OF FOOTHILLS EDUCATORS USING MHFA CURRICULUM, DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND ESTABLISHING REFERRAL MECHANISMS TO INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND TO INCREASE STUDENT AND STAFF AWARENESS OF MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGH QUARTERLY SOCIAL MARKETING. INTENTIONAL COLLABORATION WITH THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD, ADVANTAGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS WILL ASSIST FOOTHILLS IN MEETING THESE OBJECTIVES. FOOTHILLS STUDENTS, WHILE EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISTRESS, ALSO DEMONSTRATE GREAT DETERMINATION AND RESILIENCE BY RETURNING TO SCHOOL TO COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THE MHAT GRANT PROJECT WILL EQUIP FOOTHILLS EDUCATORS TO RECOGNIZE, REACT AND DE-ESCALATE RESPONSIBLY AND SAFELY WHEN STUDENTS EXPERIENCE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, THEREBY INCREASING STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES.