Training
As people who love, support, and treat people with mental illness, if we want them to have better health outcomes, we must acknowledge our responsibility to do better by them. This includes improving our understanding of their perspective, taking a step closer when they need us most, and providing evidence-based, trauma-informed support.
Everyone can do better including friends & family, non-clinical professional supports, and treatment providers.
Grassroots Groundwork provides the community and professionals with information and skills to better support people with mental illness, including those thinking about suicide.
Below are a list of the trainings we provide periodically or by request.
QPR Gatekeeper
1-2 hour training that can be utilized by any person, taught in a clear and concise format.
Teaches attendees…
- How to Question, Persuade and Refer someone who may be suicidal
- How to get help for yourself or learn more about preventing suicide
- The common causes of suicidal behavior
- The warning signs of suicide
- How to get help for someone in crisis
When presented to non-clinical staff and volunteers who assist clients of mental health or SUD services, this training can include learning how to make safety plans with clients.
The Peer's Perspective
Clinical support services have a place in mental health recovery, but we can do more for our clients. This is a workshop for clinical mental health and SUD professionals to learn how to help their clients incorporate Peer Services and other community-based services into their recovery support system.
The Best Way is Their Own Way
Individualized, self-directed recovery is always more successful and sustainable than simply directing clients how they should recover. This is a workshop for Peers and other non-clinical staff & volunteers in mental health and SUD spaces to learn how to support choice and autonomy and promote self-directed recovery.
Topics include multiple pathways to recovery, reviewing ethical standards in the mental health and SUD fields, and how to help clients locate their own unique pathway to recovery.
Base Competencies for Non-Clinical Staff & Volunteers in Mental Health and SUD Spaces
This training is open to staff and volunteers who perform non-clinical work with mental health and Substance Use Disorder clients.
This training teaches attendees what barriers their clients often face, the various recovery pathways they can help their clients access, and how to provide appropriate support when recovery is challenging. Additionally, it provides tools for how to respond when clients say they are thinking about suicide.
This is a 4-week series with sessions each 1-hour long, presented on the same day and time each week. There are also 3 webinars that complement the course and are to be completed at the attendees own pace.
Cost for trainings is always donation-based with a recommended amount. They can be provided virtually or in-person. Trainings can be combined or have additional topics added, such as
- Principles of harm reduction and how to integrate them into your practices
- Narcan use
- Making safe and effective referrals to crisis services in ways that don’t escalate crisis
- Local options for treating the varying levels of crisis
Most trainings are presented by Grassroots Groundwork founders, Frances and Rob Kanous.
Click here to learn more about their background.
Trainings that are combined or include additional topics may be presented by additional qualified professionals.
Our organization can also help you locate trainings that will help improve service delivery such as
- Cultural Competency
- LGBTQ Competency
- Mental Health First Aid
Outreach
Our organization takes as many opportunities as possible to attend & host events to spread awareness about our mission and to fundraise. You may see us at networking events and trade shows, and we’re always happy to receive invitations to attend new ones.
Past Events
AFSP: Out of the Darkness Walk
Trade Show, 2025
Kenducky Derby, 2025
Eastside Summer Fest, 2025
Upcoming Events
I Love Lansing, a Sweetheart Dance
2nd Annual Kenducky Derby
Contact our Director of Training & Outreach to schedule a training or discuss events.
training@gglansing.org
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