To qualify for the Healthy Utah Community designation, cities and towns must implement strategies to improve mental wellbeing. Below is a list of recommended strategies with resources for each.
Recommended Mental Health Strategies
Destigmatize mental illness through a community campaign or event
Encourage community members to talk openly about mental health and seek resources by putting on a community mental health campaign or event.
Resources
- SAMHSA Community Conversations About Mental Health: Planning Guide
- Take Action: Your Guide to Campaigning on Mental Health
- Mental Health America: Tips for Planning a Wellness Event
- SAMHSA: Event Planning Checklist
Increase awareness of mental health hotlines or local resources available in your community
Many resources exist to help individuals during a mental health crisis, but too often these resources are underutilized. Engage in a concerted, organized effort to increase awareness of resources in your community.
Resources
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- SafeUT Crisis Chat and Tip Line
- United Way 211
- Hope4Utah: Hope Squad
Offer suicide prevention trainings for individuals and/or organizations in your community
Offer suicide prevention trainings throughout your community to ensure that residents feel equipped to intervene during a mental health crisis.
Resources
- Hope Squad QPR Trainings
- NAMI Utah QPR Trainings
- Utah Pride Center QPR Trainings
- Live On Utah Gatekeeper Trainings
Train first responders on mental health crises and suicide prevention
Give first responders the tools they need to intervene during mental health crises, and ensure that they have access to mental health resources for themselves and their loved ones.
Resources
- Utah Fire and Rescue Academy Mental Health Trainings
- First Responder Mental Health Resources Grant
- First Responders First
Address mental illness among youth by promoting a mental health resource, program, or best practice in schools
Introducing mental health programs and resources in schools can be a powerful way to reach youth experiencing poor mental health.
Resources
Implement a strategy to promote safe use and disposal of medications
Help prevent suicide, addiction, and accidental overdose by providing locations and resources for the safe disposal of medications.
Resources
- FDA Disposal of Medications: What You Should Know
- Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations Database
Implement a strategy to promote safe use of guns
Ensure safe gun use in your community by offering free gun locks and safes, training programs, or buy-back programs.
Resources
- Project Child Safe
- Salt Lake City Police Department Gun Buy Back
- L.E.T.S. Stay Safe – Utah’s Firearm Safety & Violence Prevention Program
Implement policies that limit access to addictive substances
Reduce access to addictive substances by limiting the density of alcohol outlets, regulating the use of cigarettes/vaping devices, etc.
Resources
- Utah Firearm Safe Rebate
- Project Child Safe
- Salt Lake City Police Department Gun Buy Back
- L.E.T.S. Stay Safe – Utah’s Firearm Safety & Violence Prevention Program
Implement one new worksite wellness strategy around mental health among city employees and/or local businesses
Implement a strategy to improve mental wellness among employees in the community.
Resources
Provide free Naloxone training and rescue kits to community members
Ensure that community members have the skills and resources needed to save a life following an opioid overdose.
Resources
Host a reoccurring community event that promotes social connection among a vulnerable demographic
Provide opportunities for vulnerable community members to gather and build social connection. Examples can include holding community lunches for seniors, providing afterschool programs for children, creating sports leagues for individuals with a disability, etc.
Resources
Beautify, enhance, or create a section of the community that promotes social gathering and connection
Create or enhance an area of the community where community members can gather and interact.
Resources
Implement a program, reoccurring event, or establish an area of the community that promotes connection with nature
Provide opportunities for community members to spend time outdoors.
Resources
Partner with a local organization to implement a program listed on the Mental Health Menu of Services
In addition to the above strategies, you may also choose to implement a program listed in the Mental Health Menu of Services. Each program you implement will be counted as a strategy towards the designation.
Is your community doing other things that you think may qualify you for the Healthy Utah Community designation?
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