The Institute of Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being being established within the College of Health and Community Well-Being will expand programs that train mental health practitioners and address community-level mental health inequities through an interdisciplinary, multi-systems approach. By strengthening the preparation of mental health practitioners and threading mental health pedagogy into all curricula, ULV will build a culture of awareness that promotes prevention/early intervention, destigmatizes mental health services, and increases access to services. ULV will prepare top-quality mental health practitioners and all graduates will be equipped to promote mental health wellness and equity within their disciplines.
This Insitute is supported by the Department of Education and inspired by the ongoing mental health advocacy of Representative Grace Napolitano and her team.
Goals:
– Enhance Training of Mental Health Practitioners:
Objectives:
- Research projects to inform curricula
- New curricular modules
- Course transformations on mental health well-being and social determinants of health
- Virtual/augmented reality training
Outcome:
- Mental health practitioner (MHP) graduates promote mental health equity and psychological well-being
– Expand Mental Health Services & Build Skills of Mental Health Practitioner Students:
Objectives:
- Upgrade technology to support telemedicine
- Train faculty, staff, MHP students in telemedicine
- Provide telemedicine counseling and mental health programming to 60 regional and on-line students
- Enhance supports and mental health services for special-needs populations
Outcomes:
- Expanded mental health services promote well-being
- Expanded practicums equip MHP students to promote equity and wellness
– Infuse All Programs with Pedagogy on Mental Health, Cultural Competence, Social Determinants of Health, & Mental Health Well-Being:
Objectives:
- Faculty neurodiversity curricular development training
- Programming to increase understanding of cultural competence, mental health equity, and psychological well-being
- Faculty participation in conferences on mental health well-being, equity, cultural competence, social determinants of health
Outcomes:
- Pedagogy, programs, and training build culture of awareness that results in top-quality mental health practitioners, promotes prevention/early intervention, destigmatizes mental health services, increases service access, and prepares students to advocate for mental health
– Promote Mental Health Well-Being in Underserved Communities:
Objectives:
- Training on neurodiversity to 4 school districts
- Seminars to prepare students to promote community mental health
Outcome:
- ULV’s commitment to mental health, cultural competency, and mental health equity increases community well-being in nearby, underserved communities
The Project Director will measure accomplishment of Objectives and Outcomes through collecting and assessing quantitative and qualitive data, and will report to the Dean of the College. Evaluation results will document increased effectiveness in preparation of mental health practitioners and a campus culture that promotes mental health equity. Activities supported through this program will have lasting, positive benefits to MHP students, the campus community, and the larger community ULV serves.