Unique Training Opportunity Combats Mental Health and Substance Abuse Crisis

New York State Office of Mental Health TRUST train-the-trainer available in the North Country

Tim Fayette, Behavioral Health Coordinator with FDRHPO, conducts a QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) training at the Department of Social Services staff on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

With mental health and substance abuse crises on the rise, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO) is working to increase training opportunities for healthcare partners throughout the North Country.

According to the 2024 Community Health Survey, 69.6% of North Country residents state they know where to find suicide prevention services if they were to need them. However, only 7.7% of individuals report having referred somebody or accessed these resources themselves.

Identifying the increasing need for mental health and substance abuse services and resources, FDRHPO, through support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provides mental health awareness training to a variety of groups and stakeholders, including educators, healthcare workers, community-based organizations, fire fighters, EMTs, law enforcement, active-duty military, veterans, and their families.

Tim Fayette, Behavioral Health Coordinator with FDRHPO, conducts training throughout the year that includes Adult Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), and Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR).

“Since FDRHPO was awarded the SAMSHA Grant in 2023, we have been able to coordinate training throughout Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties,” said Mr. Fayette. “To date, FDRHPO has trained a total of 767 individuals.”

The NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) is also committed to enhancing our regional mental health training. Through the OMH Hospital and Community Connection initiative, a need was identified for healthcare professionals to enhance their skills in trauma-informed de-escalation and crisis prevention.

To fill this gap, OMH will train up to 24 individuals across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties as trainers in their comprehensive TRUST (Therapeutic Relationship and Universal Safety Training) program. This training is designed to enhance skills and knowledge in areas like trauma-informed care, crisis identification and management, de-escalation techniques rooted in empathy, and safety protocols. By adding 24 regional TRUST trainers, the region will then be able to train several healthcare and community organizations on these skills and techniques.

“By increasing the number of TRUST trainers in the region, our regional healthcare and community organizations will feel better equipped to apply trauma-informed de-escalation strategies to respond to patients more safely, effectively, and empathetically,” said Lindsay Baldwin, Chief Financial Officer with FDRHPO.

For more information on mental health and substance abuse resources in the North Country, visit www.fdrhpo.org/mental-health-and-substance-use-support. For more information on the many trainings offered by FDRHPO, visit www.fdrhpo.org/mhat-1.