Mental Health

The Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) project has been renewed by SAMHSA, starting January 2023! Previously, Prevention Insights received funding from September 2018 through September 2021 to increase awareness and knowledge of mental health in order to reduce substance abuse, depression, suicide, violence, and other behavioral health concerns in Monroe County, Indiana.

Now, Prevention Insights has applied for and received additional grant funding to continue and expand the previous mental health work. We will now provide Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) as well as Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training and can expand to 13 counties around Indiana (Allen, Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Fayette, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Scott, Tippecanoe, and White). With this funding, our team can also train the populations listed below at no cost.

  • Individuals who interact with adults in the general population
  • Individuals who work or interact with youth
  • Individuals who interact with students enrolled in higher education, or those who attend college
  • Individuals who live or work in rural settings
  • First responders, specifically firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel
  • Veterans, active-duty military, and those who interact with this population

Our goal is to train many individuals from all walks of life in Mental Health First Aid and for them to become aware of the impacts of mental health problems to help reduce stigma and encourage access to appropriate resources.

Heather Todd, Project Director

Interested in MHFA or QPR training?

Available trainings for the 13 counties in our catchment area are listed below and are updated regularly with new opportunities. If you are interested in signing up for a training, please click the link to sign up through a simple Qualtrics registration page.

Do you have a group of 20-30 individuals who are interested in having one of these trainings? Please contact us at MHAT@iu.edu for more information on the training or to begin scheduling with our team. Even if your organization is not located in the counties listed above, we can provide the trainings to groups for a cost. If you are interested in receiving a quote for MHFA or QPR training, please contact Stacey Hough at houghs@iu.edu.

MHFA is an 8-hour course (typically from 8am-5pm) that provides information on how to assist someone experiencing a mental health concern and practices how to approach a crisis in the appropriate manner until professional help can arrive. These trainings certify each participant as a qualified Mental Health First Aider by providing a certificate of completion and continuing education hours to each participant.

QPR is a 2-hour suicide prevention training. QPR stands for Question Persuade Refer and teaches individuals to recognize the warning signs of suicide and what to do in a crisis situation.

MHAT has launched an evidence-based social marketing and awareness campaign that will help decrease the stigma of mental illness and increase the awareness of the need for culturally appropriate services for the targeted population groups. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Partnering Organizations

  • MCCSC
  • IU Bloomington
  • Monroe County Fire Chief’s Association
  • Girls Inc.
  • Banneker Community Center

Referral Agencies

  • Centerstone
  • CAPS
  • Substance Use Intervention Services
  • IU Center for Human Growth