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Mental Health First Aid Summit Forums B

MHFA Forum 3 - Bringing Mental Health Training and Support to First Responders in Rural and Frontier Communities in Kansas

Sunday, April 26, 2026
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM MDT
Location: 610
This session will describe how a rural mental health center created and strengthened partnerships that enabled them to train more than 300 professionals in Mental Health First Aid - from law enforcement, EMS/Fire, criminal justice, and others - over a five county, rural service area. Participants will:

• Learn how relationship-building, anchored in MHFA, improved behavioral health referral practices.
• Hear strategies that sustained interest in MHFA among first responder agencies.
• Gain insight into how a small training team earned national recognition for teaching First Aiders in the MHFA Fire/EMS course.

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will learn ways to foster relationships with law enforcement, Fire/EMS, and criminal justice agencies and develop systematic approaches to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) staff training of first responders.
  • Attendees will be able to develop solutions to common barriers rural Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training programs face when delivering training in a large, rural service area.
  • Attendees will be able to leverage MHFA training to promote collaboration, resource sharing, and effective referrals of individuals in need of mental health support.
Disclosure(s):
Justin A. Verga, Firefighter/paramedic: No financial relationships to disclose

    Forum Presenter - MHFA Summit(s)

  • Chris Tilden, PhD

    Associate Researcher Senior
    University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research
    Lawrence, Kansas

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    Handouts

  • Beth Akins, MSW, LSCSW

    Director - Communication, Education and Engagement
    Horizons Mental Health Center
    Hutchinson, Kansas

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Pat Willis, BS

    First Responder Liaison
    Horizons Mental Health Center
    Hutchinson, Kansas

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Moderator - MHFA Summit(s)

  • Justin A. Verga, Firefighter/paramedic

    Firefighter/Paramedic / National Trainer
    City of Long Beach Fire Department/National Council for Mental wellbeing
    Washington DC, District of Columbia

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose