Doña Ana County receives $197K Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Stronger minds stronger communities - Doña Ana County health and human services will implement stronger minds, stronger communities in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, to increase mental health literacy, improve early identification, and connect youth, justice-involved individuals, first responders, and other community members to treatment and supports. The project will train school personnel, teens, families, first responders, and justice-system partners to recognize serious mental illness and substance use disorders, respond using trauma-informed and de-escalation approaches, and make referrals to behavioral health services, assisted outpatient treatment, diversion, and recovery supports. Activities will include adult, youth, and first responder mental health first aid (mhfa); SAMHSA’s how being trauma-informed improves criminal justice system responses; and 2 eight-week helping our youth courses. Partners include hatch valley and gadsden independent school districts, the third judicial district court, county fire and emergency services and detention center, and la clinica de familia. The project will certify at least 4 instructors in the trauma-informed criminal justice model and 4 in mhfa, deliver at least 12 mhfa courses, train at least 100 people in trauma-informed justice practices, 75 first responders, and 50 school personnel, and make at least 50 referrals to assisted outpatient treatment or other diversion programs.