Southern Ute Behavioral Health now has two trained instructors –Native Connections Program Specialist, Precious Collins and Peer Recovery Coach, Marvina Olguin – to teach Mental Health First Aid courses to the community. Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This training will give the skills needed to reach out, provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health, substance use problem, or individuals who may be experiencing a crisis.  

Throughout the years the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division has been dedicated to identifying the gaps in mental health training and awareness within the community and finding the solutions for that. Collins and Olguin will be providing Mental Health First Aid training throughout the remainder of this year, featuring different courses tailored to multiple subcategories. “Two things that I would really stress is that Mental Health First Aid is an international program,” Collins said. “Within Mental Health First Aid, there’s some subcategories in there that you can become an instructor–so we have the adults, the youth, and the teens and our Behavioral Health Division as of right now we have all three trainings.” 

Following the 988 Lifeline Grant awarded to the Albuquerque Indian Health Board, the Southern Ute Behavioral Health being one of eight recipients of a subaward from the Albuquerque Indian Health Board, funding for more suicide prevention and outreach trainings became available for the Tribe. “That’s where we afforded that opportunity, because they [Albuquerque Indian Health Board] set everything up,” Collins said. “They brought in two national trainers, to do the instructors training, our connection is because of that sub award grant.” 

“What I appreciated about the training was that it really hit on person first language and removing stigma,” Olguin said. “That could be the difference between somebody asking for help and somebody just saying no – because it is so stigmatized, especially revolving around substance abuse.” 

“This is a step that, as staff … as workers of the Tribe, we’re passionate about mental health,” Collins said. “Everything we do in life involves our mental health and in taking the step now to get the training — helping the community be proactive.” 

Anyone who is interested in the Mental Health First Aid trainings can contact either Precious Collins or Marvina Olguin via phone ext. 2487, ext. 2359 or via email prcollins@southernute-nsn.gov and marolguin@southernute-nsn.gov . The first eight-hour training offered will be the Adult Mental Health First Aid Training, this training is scheduled for Monday, May 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. located at the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Building.