Mental Health Awarenss and Suicide Prevention Training Benefits from Mount Rogers Community Services Grant
The $161,508 grant will provide training for more than 1,700 people
WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Mount Rogers Community Services will use a $161,508 federal grant to expand mental health awareness and suicide prevention training in southwest Virginia.
This grant award is a key piece of the Mount Rogers mission to help people, families, and communities thrive. Mount Rogers also has a vision that very person has opportunities and the support to live a healthy, fulfilling life and this grant plays a key role in supporting people in enjoying good mental health.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the grant award on Wednesday. The three-year grant will help Mount Rogers train trusted community members to:
- Recognize warning signs.
- Respond safely.
- Connect people to care earlier.
Over the three years, Mount Rogers expects to train more than 1,700 people in key mental health and suicide prevention programs. These programs will help them recognize signs and symptoms of suicide so they can get people into referral paths to local behavioral health services.
In 2024, per the most recent data from the Virginia Department of Health, 23 people took their own lives in our region of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Wythe counties, plus the City of Galax. That was down from 30 in 2023
The programs the SAMHSA grant fund include:
- Mental Health First Aid
- Teen Mental Health First Aid
- SafeTALK
- Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Anthony Craver, a Mount Rogers program manager of veteran and wellness services, leads the program.
“It’s important that funding opportunities like these exist to give people and communities the tools to help people who are experiencing hard things and have suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” Craver said.
The grant will allow the continuation of this program that has a proven track record of success. About 98% of previous participants said they have increased their ability to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide and behavioral health concerns, and their ability to refer someone to get professional help.
About Mount Rogers Community Services — With a mission to help people, families, and communities thrive, Mount Rogers is a top provider of behavioral health services in southwest Virginia.
We offer services for mental health, behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders. We also offer geriatric, counseling, early intervention, and other services in the city of Galax and the counties of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, and Wythe.
