Five Million People in U.S. Trained in Mental Health First Aid

SAMHSA Funding Opportunities Now Available to Support Further Access to MHFA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2026) — The National Council for Mental Wellbeing today announced that Mental Health First Aid has reached a historic milestone: 5 million people trained across the United States.

The achievement reflects the growing commitment to improve access to evidence-based programs and follows an announcement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that three new funding opportunities are available to support more education and training. SAMHSA has released applications for Project AWARE, Mental Health Awareness (MHAT) and Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) grants.

“These federal grants provide the resources to expand access to vital mental health and substance use programs, including Mental Health First Aid, and continue efforts to increase the number of people able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use crisis,” National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia said.

The National Council brought Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008 and has continued to expand the program’s reach, helping bring practical mental health and substance use response skills to more people and communities each year. Today, the evidence-based, early intervention program offers a variety of courses to meet the needs of different audiences and settings, including adults, youth-serving adults, teens, public safety professionals, higher education communities, workplaces, older adults and more.

New funding opportunities will provide organizations with the resources to train more people in these vital programs.

“This moment reflects the growing recognition that conversations about mental health support belong in every community,” said Tramaine EL-Amin, vice president of Mental Health First Aid. “When people have the skills to recognize and respond to mental health and substance use challenges, they can make a meaningful difference in the lives of their families, workplaces and communities.”

Now that SAMHSA has announced these funding opportunities, the National Council will support members and other mental health and substance use advocates by helping them navigate the application process so they can get access to this critical funding for the communities they serve. The funding opportunities announced by SAMHSA include:

Project AWARE

Available Funding: $55,768,191
Deadline: July 27, 2026

Among the three funding opportunities, this is the biggest pool of funding available. As schools and communities increase investments in student mental health, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is highlighting the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) grant program as a timely opportunity to expand Mental Health First Aid. Project AWARE supports the development of sustainable, school-based mental health infrastructure through partnerships among education leaders, mental health providers, community organizations, families and youth.

According to SAMHSA, Project AWARE has already helped nearly 1.4 million mental health professionals, first responders, teachers, school staff, administrators, families and community members participate in mental health-related training.

MHAT

Available Funding: $22,045,665
Deadline: July 27, 2026

Training through the program prepares individuals and communities to respond appropriately and safely to persons with mental health challenges by providing individuals with the knowledge, skills, confidence and resources to engage with someone experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges. According to SAMHSA, MHAT helped more than 1.2 million people receive training from 2018-23:

• 244,680 individuals in the mental health and related workforce have been trained in mental health related practices and activities;
• 487,459 total individuals have been trained in prevention or mental health promotion;
• 543,546 individuals have been referred to mental health or related services.

TISS

Available Funding: $5,985,928
Deadline: July 16, 2026

TISS increases student access to evidence-based trauma support services and mental health care by developing innovative initiatives, activities, and programs to link local school systems with local trauma-informed support and mental health systems. According to SAMHSA, more than 40,000 people received training through the program from 2022-23 including:

• Trained 5,291 school staff, students, and administrators;
• 34,678 school aged children and caregivers screened for mental health or related interventions;
• 2,965 school aged children and caregivers referred for mental health and related services.

Next Steps

The National Council encourages applicants to review the Project AWARE, MHAT and TISS opportunities and consider how this funding can support efforts to expand access to mental health and substance use programs in their communities. The National Council has free resources available to support organizations with their grant applications.

SAMHSA has posted information on each grant opportunity:

• Trauma-Informed Services in Schools (TISS)
• Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education (Project AWARE)
• Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT)