Project Grant H79SM084679

FOUR COUNTY'S MHAT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN INDIANA. - MHAT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN INDIANA TARGETS 13 HIGH-POVERTY COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA, 11 OF WHICH ARE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS. FOUR COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER (4C) WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) AND QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER (QPR) TRAINING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO THROUGH WORK OR VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ARE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER PERSONS EXHIBITING MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS. THE POPULATION FOR WHICH THE TRAINING IS INTENDED TO HELP INCLUDES ADULTS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, DEPRESSION, AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS AND CHILDREN/ADOLESCENTS WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DISORDERS WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON YOUTH, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND VETERANS. TO ADDRESS THE UNMET NEEDS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA - INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY FOR NON-MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO 1) RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN YOUTH AND ADULTS, 2) SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, AND 3) HELP ENGAGE PERSONS IN BOTH GROUPS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES - AND SUSTAIN THE SERVICES DEVELOPED, 4C HAS DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING GOALS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES. 1) INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA TO RECOGNIZE SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN YOUTH AND ADULTS BY PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING TO AT LEAST 2,475 (235 YEAR 1, 560/YEAR IN YEARS 2-5) AND QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER TRAINING TO AT LEAST 760 (120 YEAR 1, 160/YEAR IN YEARS 2-5) CATCHMENT AREA COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 2) INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES BY INCLUDING ROLE PLAYING PRACTICE ON WHEN AND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH A PERSON EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND PROVIDING ALL PARTICIPANTS WITH MOBILE CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES AND OTHER EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION. 3) INCREASE CAPACITY OF THE CATCHMENT AREA TO REFER PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTO THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES WITH AN EMPHASIS INCREASING ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR FOCUS POPULATIONS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY A) TRAINING PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING A RESOURCE PACKET FOR ASSISTING PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, B) ENSURING 4C'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE LIAISONS, SCHOOL-BASED DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS, AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY LIAISONS CONTACT 95% OF INDIVIDUALS REFERRED BY TRAINING PARTICIPANTS AND FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICES NEEDED FOR 90% OF THOSE REFERRED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REFERRAL, C) FORMALIZE MHFA/QPR TRAINING PLANS AND REFERRAL SYSTEMS WITH VETERAN-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN ALL COUNTIES, AND D) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED NEW ADMISSIONS TO 4C BY 5% IN GRANT YEAR 1 AND 10% IN GRANT YEARS 2 THROUGH 5. 4) DEVELOP A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND REFERRAL TO THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE BY SHARING A PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT WITH POTENTIAL FUNDING PARTNERS AND TO GARNER SUSTAINABLE FUNDING AND SUPPORT.