Project Grant H79SM084725

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATIONMENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING GRANTS - THE ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM (AKMHAT) WILL PROVIDE STATEWIDE TRAINING TO ALASKANS IN KEY SYSTEMS SUCH AS EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRST RESPONDERS, SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING MENTAL ILLNESS OR CRISIS. THE GOALS OF THIS TRAINING INITIATIVE WILL BE TO IMPROVE AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH, IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS OF KEY SYSTEMS TO MENTAL ILLNESS OR CRISIS AND TO FACILITATE THE REFERRAL OF PERSONS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AS NEEDED. WE WILL USE THREE EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING CURRICULA, THE ALASKA TRAUMA 101, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING. TRAINING WILL BE TARGETED TO THOSE WORKING IN KEY SYSTEMS WHO ARE RESPONDING TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO EXPERIENCE SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS (SMI) CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE (SED) AND BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD). THE PROJECT WILL TRAIN 900 PERSONS IN THE FIRST YEAR AND 1000 PERSONS EACH IN YEARS 3-5 FOR A TOTAL OF 4900 PERSONS TRAINED. WE WILL USE A HYBRID, RURAL TRAINING DELIVERY MODEL TO PROVIDE IN-PERSON TRAINING IN RURAL HUB COMMUNITIES AND LIVE WEBINARS TO REACH COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE. THIS INITIATIVE WILL BE SUPPORTED BY A TARGETED MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF STREAMLINED REFERRAL PROCESSES AND REFERRAL PROCESS TRAININGS TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESSFUL REFERRAL OF ALASKANS EXPERIENCING MENTAL ILLNESS OR CRISIS TO APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.