Project Grant H79SM084486

DCCCA AND UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA: PARTNERS IN MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS - OUR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA (UCO) LOCATED IN EDMOND, OKLAHOMA INCLUDING STAFF, FACULTY, STUDENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE INTENT OF PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND LINKAGES TO SERVICES FOR STUDENTS 18-25 ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY. WE WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET CAMPUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN HOUSING, VETERAN'S SUPPORT SERVICES, THE NURSING PROGRAM, AND CAMPUS AND LOCAL POLICE. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION (2018), FIFTY PERCENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS BEGINS BY AGE 14 AND THREE-QUARTERS BEGINS BY AGE 25. ACCORDING TO THE FALL 2019 ENROLLMENT DATA, 77.9% OF THE UCO STUDENTS ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-25. RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND CONNECTING A PERSON TO SERVICES EARLY IN THEIR LIFE CAN HELP REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF THEIR ILLNESS. THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND WELLBEING (CCWB) HAS AGREED TO BE OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNER IN THIS GRANT PROJECT TO RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. DCCCA WILL PARTNER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA (UCO) TO PROVIDE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY UTILIZING THE EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. THIS CURRICULUM TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, IDENTIFY RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND EMPHASIZES DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES. DCCCA HAS OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING TRAININGS TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE. IN OKLAHOMA DCCCA HAS BEEN PROVIDING SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND RESOURCES FOR OVER 5 YEARS AS A SUB-GRANTEE OF SAMHSA THROUGH OPIOID MISUSE PREVENTION GRANTS THROUGH THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, THE DESIGNATED PROJECT DIRECTOR HAS BEEN A CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR FOR 1 YEAR. THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND WELLBEING IS OUR PRIMARY REFERRAL SOURCE FOR THIS PROJECT. THEY HAVE MANY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF INCLUDING COUNSELING, SELF-HELP NETWORKS AND PEER HEALTH LEADERS THAT ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS PROJECT. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRAINED, TRAININGS HELD, AND REFERRALS BY TRAINED PARTICIPANTS WILL BE TRACKED AND REPORTED. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR, PREVENTION SPECIALIST, AND 2-3 STAFF MEMBERS AT THE CCWB WILL FORM THE MENTAL HEALTH AID ADVISORY GROUP. THIS GROUP WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE GRANT.