Project Grant H79SM088093

BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO EQUITABLY ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BORDERLAND - BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF EL PASO PROPOSES THE PROJECT TITLED "BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO EQUITABLY ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BORDERLAND," WHICH WILL SERVE 600 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY FOR A TOTAL OF 1,800 SERVED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT PERIOD. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF EL PASO WILL PROVIDE THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA OF EL PASO COUNTY, TEXAS, WITH 867,947 RESIDENTS BORDERING MEXICO, WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING IN THE REGION. WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT, A SPECIAL FOCUS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF CANUTILLO, ENCOMPASSING THE FURTHEST WEST REGION OF THE COUNTY DISCONNECTED FROM MAJOR RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS. THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING IS GEARED TOWARDS ADULTS (E.G., SCHOOL PERSONNEL, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, VETERANS, ARMED SERVICES MEMBERS, ETC.) AND YOUTH (AGES 15-18). THIS TRAINING WILL HELP PARTICIPANTS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL DISORDERS AND HOW TO SAFELY DE-ESCALATE CRISIS SITUATIONS, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: G1. BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO EQUITABLY ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BORDERLAND, G2. CREATE A CANUTILLO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY OF YOUTH, EMPLOYEES, AND CAREGIVERS TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, G3. TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, REGIONALLY RELEVANT MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION THROUGH OUTREACH AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON VARIOUS PLATFORMS THROUGHOUT EL PASO COUNTY AND G4. TO CONDUCT AN EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING SERVICES OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.