by Krystal Paco

Guam - The National Association of State Mental Health program directors awards the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse $221,000 for participation in the transformation transfer initiative in 2013. The training allows for Guam to strengthen its Behavioral System of Care with trainings including the mental health first aid and the suicide prevention toolkit for primary care providers.

The Mental Health first-aid training session is set for March 8 and 9th with a training session for trainers set for the week of June 17. The Suicide Prevention Toolkit training is set for March 7, 11th, and 12th.

Mental Health acting director Rey Vega encourages the public, especially the primary health care sector, to take advantage of the fully funded trainings. He says, "Addressing the mental health needs of our community is our main goal. By strengthening the skills among those who are in the forefront, we will be able to improve the quality and efficiency of our services."