Introduction:
People in rural regions frequently lack resources for mental health support. Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) is a universal, community-based program designed to address mental and emotional health issues early and prevent crises. COMET Community Training is a short, interactive training that teaches people how to initiate a supportive and potentially emotional conversation using the simple, 7-item COMET Conversational Gravity Assist. This article describes and reports on the feasibility and acceptability of COMET and its Community Training.
This manuscript focuses on the feasibility and acceptability of the COMET Community Training. While this evaluation includes the first ~600 trainees, the program has now trained over 2500 nationwide. Their evaluation efforts in 2025 will address utilization and impact.
Team contributors: Linda Zittleman, MPH/MSPH; Maret Felzien; Kristen Curcija, MPH; Christopher Bennett; Kaitlyn Bennett; Joseph Carrica; Christin Sutter; Ashley Sherrill, MS, LPC; John Westfall, MD, MPH/MSPH
