Beaver County receives $200K Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Beaver County reach (respond, educate, assist, connect, and help) - Beaver County behavioral health will implement Beaver County reach (respond, educate, assist, connect, and help), a countywide mental health awareness training initiative serving approximately 166,000 residents across urban, suburban, and rural Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The project will train school personnel, coaches, first responders, law enforcement, employers, healthcare providers, faith leaders, veterans’ organizations, and community partners to recognize mental health and substance use concerns and suicide risk, respond appropriately to behavioral health crises, and make effective referrals. Priority populations benefiting from the initiative include youth, families, veterans, first responders, individuals reentering the community after incarceration, older adults, and working-age adults, particularly those in manufacturing and skilled trades. Reach will conduct a countywide needs assessment; provide mental health first aid, qpr, asist, calm, and crisis intervention team training; develop standardized referral pathways and resource materials; conduct public awareness campaigns; and strengthen community partnerships. The project will complete the training needs assessment by november 2026, launch evidence-based trainings by march 2027, provide quarterly trainings and outreach events throughout the project period, and conduct 5 countywide awareness events annually.