Are you interested in scheduling a session on the programs listed below? Please call the trainers directly or contact Coordinator Jess Hegstrom at 457-8970/ jhegstrom@lccountymt.gov to set one up. 

QPR Gatekeeper Training – offered virtually and in person!

QPR Trainers:

Brett Lloyd | blloyd@lccountymt.gov | 406-457-8897

Gloria Soja | gsoja.hgam@gmail.com |

Erin Ritchie | eritchie@jeffersoncounty-mt.gov |

Emily McVey | Emily@unitedwaylca.org | 406-442-4360

Emily Schuff | Emily.schuff@helenacollege.edu |

Jess Hegstrom | jhegstrom@lccountymt.gov | 406-457-8970

Jon Hamm | jonathan.a.hamm@gmail.com |

Karl Rosston | krosston@mt.gov | 406-444-3349

Kristel Kishbaugh | Kristelu@live.com |

Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness training – offered virtually and in person!

This 1-hour training raises awareness about how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress can impact children throughout their lifetimes. Exposure to high amounts of prolonged stress can affect their developing brains and shape how they see, feel, and react to situations for the rest of their lives. Not only that, if left untreated, it can lead to self-medicating (drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco use, self-harm, suicide, etc.) and can affect the health of that child as they get older (high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc.).

While Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can impact the life of a child – a loving, caring, healthy relationship can offset the damage caused by ACEs. Resilience is a combination of skills learned through healthy relationships that helps us overcome the adversity we have experienced in life.

Schools typically receive more in-depth training by a master trainer, who delves into the neuroscience behind ACEs.  Those sessions range from 2-8 hours and can provide attendees with OPI/CEU credit hours.

Learn more here.

ACEs Presenters:

Rebecca Hargis | elevatemontanahelenaaffiliate@gmail.com | (406) 459-0380

Trina Filan| trina.filan@gmail.com | (916) 248-9635

Suicide Safe Care Tools training – offered virtually and in person!

Intended for medical and mental health professionals, as well as other providers, this one- to three-hour training teaches providers how to help a person who is considering suicide to the appropriate level of care. Tools include screening, suicide risk assessment, safety planning, lethal means counseling, and caring contact. Studies have shown that when used together, these tools can reduce suicide risk for patients by up to 45 percent. Learn more at https://zerosuicide.edc.org/ 

Alex Holter |

Emily Schuff | emily.schuff@helenacollege.edu | 406-447-6962

Jaime Larese | JLarese@sphealth.org | 406-447-2527

Jess Hegstrom | jhegstrom@lccountymt.gov | 406-457-8970

Karl Rosston | krosston@mt.gov | 406-444-3349

PsychArmor: Online training & Military Strong

Institute is a non-profit that provides free education and support for all Americans to engage effectively with the military community and bridge the military-civilian divide. PsychArmor recruits nationally recognized subject matter experts to create and deliver short online courses about issues relevant to the military and Veteran communities. Its self-paced courses are delivered within nine topic areas geared toward military culture, healthcare providers, employers, K-12 educators, higher education, volunteers, caregivers, and families, transitioning service members, and communities serving Veterans. The institute provides critical resources to all Americans who work with, live with, and care about Veterans.

Military Strong Challenge

The Lewis & Clark Suicide Prevention Coalition oversees the Military Strong campaign to spread military cultural competency throughout the county. Any business, nonprofit, church, group, or other organization in Broadwater, Jefferson, and Lewis and Clark Counties can participate. The program takes about 1 ½ hours to complete, while Military Strong Kids is just 45 minutes. Find out more here or learn about PsychArmor Institute at psycharmor.org. 

Contact Jess Hegstrom at jhegstrom@lccountymt.gov to sign up.

Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour course that teaches anyone 18 years and older how to help an adult who may be experiencing a mental health-related crisis or problem. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions. Specialized courses are also available for public safety officers, other first responders, Veterans, and military families. Training can be split into smaller sessions over the course of a few days.

Information provided by Mental Health First Aid USA. Learn more here.

Mental Health First Aid Trainers:

Dennis Nyland | DNyland@mt.gov | 406-444-9669

Brett Lloyd | BLLOYD@lccountymt.gov| 406-457-8897 | 406-422-0780

Jaymie Hazel | jhazel@rmdc.net |

Jesse Hauer | jhauer@jeffersoncounty-mt.gov |

Karl Rosston | krosston@mt.gov | 406-444-3349

Kristel Kishbaugh | Kristelu@live.com

Youth Mental Health First Aid – offered virtually and in person!

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a 6.5*-hour to 8-hour course designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. It also teaches adults how to tell the difference between normal adolescent development and a burgeoning/existing mental health challenge, which can be difficult for adults to identify without training. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. Training can be split into smaller sessions over the course of a few days. *MHFA training delivered in a virtual format is 6.5 hours, with two hours of self-paced training and four and 1/2 hours facilitated virtually or in-person.

Information provided by Mental Health First Aid USA. Learn more here.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainers:

Jess Hegstrom | jhegstrom@lccountymt.gov | | 406-457-8970

Jolanda Songer | songertencate@hotmail.com |

Samantha Vulles |svulles@hotmail.com |

Tracy Rassley | tracyrassley@gmail.com |

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and how to work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Although ASIST is widely used by healthcare providers, participants don’t need any formal training to attend the workshop — anyone 16 or older can learn and use the ASIST model.

Studies show that the ASIST method helps reduce suicidal feelings in those at risk and is a cost-effective way to help address the problem of suicide.

Information provided by LivingWorks. Learn more here.

ASIST Trainers:

KC Richem | krichem@helenaschools.org | 406-324-1124

John Tabb | John.Tabb@mt.gov | 406-324-3222

Samantha Vulles | svulles@hotmail.com |

Ramah Vulles | ramahv1102@gmail.com|

Crisis Intervention Team Training

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) course is a 40-hour-evidence-based training that assists law enforcement, detention staff, dispatchers, firefighters, and other first responders in engaging, assessing, and assisting individuals in crisis with mental and/or co-occurring substance disorders.  CIT encompasses tools and skills to better manage people experiencing mental health and/or co-occurring substance disorders.  This training exposes the participants to materials and experiences from trained mental health and medical professionals to better prepare them to effectively and safely work with this unique population. CIT Academy instruction includes:

• Suicide assessment and intervention
• Substance abuse and dual diagnosis
• Introduction to mental illness
• Psychotropic medications
• Legal issues
• Elderly and children’s issues
• Developmental disabilities
• Intervention strategies
• Scenario training
• Site visits

CIT is offered once a year per region in various communities around the state.