Grant County Community Health Council to offer monthly mental-health trainings and advance transportation mapping
Loading...
Summary
A representative of the Grant County Community Health Council reported two new mental-health trainer certifications and plans for monthly adult mental-health first-aid trainings at Gila Regional Medical Center in 2026, plus a Transportation Resource Mapping initiative with surveys, focus groups and a May resource-guide launch.
Emma, speaking for the Grant County Community Health Council, told commissioners on Jan. 6 that the council earned two additional mental-health trainer certifications in late 2025 and plans monthly adult mental-health first-aid trainings at Gila Regional Medical Center throughout 2026.
"We were able to obtain 2 additional mental health certifications," Emma said, naming the ABC suicide-prevention module (Ask, Be Present, Connect) developed in New Mexico and an adult mental-health first-aid trainer certification. Emma said the council will offer 12 full-day trainings in 2026 and that session dates are listed in commissioners' packet materials and available via QR codes.
Emma also described the Transportation Resource Mapping initiative, which seeks community input on travel needs from the Mimbres and Cliff–Gila areas and will use surveys and focus groups before a planned May launch of a printed resource guide. She said accessibility testing (QR codes and phone-readability) will take place at the Jan. 15 health council meeting and that focus groups are scheduled for February–April.
Commissioners asked whether the health council could resume direct transport services for residents without vehicles and how past grant-funded partnerships (previously with Hila Regional and EMS) were structured. Emma said the council is not currently providing direct transport but will explore options and possible grant funding; she clarified that previous transport operations involved Hila Regional employees paid under a grant rather than volunteer-only service.
Emma listed other partnership work — Narcan trainings, collaborations with UNM Center for Development and Disability, teen safety events and technical assistance for school health advisory councils — and invited commissioners and community members to the March enhanced sequential intercept mapping workshop in Deming, aimed at providers, law enforcement, schools and people with lived mental-health experience.
The commission raised no objections; staff said public notices and QR links will be distributed to make trainings and meetings accessible.
