Loretto hospital mhat grant - loretto hospital's mhat project will provide mental health first aid (mhfa) and screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (sbirt) training to local…

Loretto hospital mhat grant - loretto hospital's mhat project will provide mental health first aid (mhfa) and screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (sbirt) training to local church leaders, law enforcement agencies, public officials, and other key stakeholders to increase the mental health literacy of individuals living and working in chicago's austin and immediate surrounding communities. Loretto hospital's mhat project will deliver training within the hospital's primary service are and support the entire austin, west garfield park, and north lawndale communities. Given the high prevalence of unmet needs in the area, the hospital is committed to implementing a community-wide plan that not only allows individuals to safely respond, but also increases access to care through warm hand-offs to organizations that can provide the appropriate level of care and treatment. The objective of this project is to train individuals on how to safely identify and respond to those experiencing a mental health crisis, especially those with or experiencing events of severe mental illness (SMI), severe emotionally disturbed (SED), or substance use disorder (SUD). Overall, the austin community reports significant trauma for its citizens with higher rates of violent crimes, percentages of children living in poverty, and potential years of life loss compared to the rest of cook county and the entire city of chicago. Loretto hospital will train hospital staff and community partners in mhfa using the algee action plan. Over the five years of this project, the goal is for austin residents to report improvements in encounters and relations with law enforcement and those experiencing a mental health crisis through increased use of DE-escalation techniques. Another goal is the reduction in arrests and detentions for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, a reduction of more than 50% is the goal.