CHRISTA:IN AS WE BEGIN THE SECOND FULL WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR, MANY IN THE MEDILCA COMMUNITY ARE PUSHING TOWARD MAKING SURE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS A PRIORITY TODAY AND EVERY DAY. THREE ORGANIZATIONS FROM OUR AREA CAME TOGETHER TO FORM THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID COLLECTIVE TO HELP ALL OF US KEEP OUR MENTAL IN CHE.CK JOINING US LIVE ON ZOOM TODAY IS DR. ROCHELLE HEAD-DUNHAM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM THE METROPOLITAN HUMAN SERVICES DISTRI.CT ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS PART OF THIS COLLECTIVE. DR. DUNHAM, HAPPY NEW YE.AR SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON TOD.AY LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. MHSD, THE LOUISIANA PUICBL HEALTH INSTITUTE AND THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER. WHY DID YOU ALL COME TOGETHER FOR THIS? >> HPYAP NEW YEAR TO YOU AS WELL. THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IS THE SECOND PANDEMIC THAT WE ARE ENDURING .PEOPLE ARE HAVING A LOT OF DIFFICULTY. BEING ABLE TO KEEP TIRHE OWN MENTAL HEALTH IN CHECK. KEEPING THEIR OWN MINDS RIGHT. WE HAVE ENBE TASKED WHIT FINDING WAYS TO BE MORE CREATIVE IN HOW WE ASSIST PEOPLE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. THIS IS GOING BEYOND THE BORRSDE . IT IS THE WAY TO ADDRESS AIC. LARGER AUDIENCE. HELPING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO ACT AND IDENTIFY SITUATIONS. IT IS OUR RECKONING WITH THE LACK OF PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND THE COMPLEXITY OF NEED RIGHT NOW. TO EQUIP AND PROVIDE CAPABILITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH MANAGING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. RICHSTINA: THAT IS INCREDIBLE THAT YOU ARE COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS. HOW YOU ARE DOING NTMEAL HEALTH DIFFERENTLY? WHAT DO YOU MEANY B THAT? >> WE WILL BE TRAINING THE COMMUNITY ON AN EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUMENT. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WELL-BEING. FOR THE PURPOSOFE TRAINGIN THE AVERAGE PERSON ON HOW TO IDENTIFY MENTAL ILLNESS AND UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. IN MOST CASES, ITS I A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO CREATE ALLIES ON BETWEEN THE PERSON IN NEED OF SERVICES AND THE PERSON EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THE SERVIS.CE IF WE CAN TRAIN AS MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ANDOW HO T DO THAT, WE AS A CULTURE WILL BE MUCH BETTER R FOIT. THATS I WHAT WE WILL BE DOING. PROVIDING TRAING.IN AS WELL AS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES. ANY ENTITY THAT HAS PEOPLE IN IT. WE WILL BE DOING A MASSIVE AMOUNTF O TRAINING TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO USE IN THEIR LIVES. CHRISTINA: WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND MORE ABOUT THIS COLLECTIVE? >> YOU CAN VISIT THE HUMAN SERVICES DISTRICT. ONUR O WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT US. OR YOU CAN VISIT THE WEBTESI FOR THE LOUISIANA PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OR THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS. CHRISTINA: THANK YOU. THAT EVENT IS SET FOR JANUARY .19 WE W