Washington, D.C. (April 27, 2026) — At the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Summit during NatCon in Denver on April 26, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing recognized three organizations and five individuals for their work advancing MFHA nationwide. Texas Council of Community Centers; KPMG U.S. Foundation; Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) of Montgomery County, Ohio; and the Instructors and Coordinators of the Year were applauded for helping more people feel prepared to support and connect others to care.
The annual MHFA Impact Awards, which include Organization of the Year, Partner of the Year, Excellence Award, Instructors of the Year, and Coordinator of the Year, honor those who lead efforts to advance the conversation around mental health. Award recipients are chosen based on the number of individuals trained in MHFA, measurable impact, and demonstrated excellence and effectiveness in training delivery.
“We are proud to recognize the 2026 Impact Award recipients for the important work they do to make MHFA more available in their communities,” said MHFA Vice President Tramaine EL-Amin. “Their leadership, in partnership with the National Council’s, is changing the way we discuss mental wellbeing and reminding us how important it is to support each other when it matters most with MHFA.”
The 2026 Impact Award Honorees
Organization of the Year: This award recognizes agroup that has implemented innovative strategies to expand MHFA within its organization and increase its impact in the wider community.
- Texas Council of Community Centers: The Texas Council of Community Centers represents the 39 public Community Centers throughout Texas that manage and provide services and support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, serious mental illness and substance use disorders. Collectively, the Community Centers represented by the Texas Council provide services for more than 700,000 Texans annually, upholding a commitment to local control and accessible, community-based care. This commitment to community-based care includes having trained
Partner of the Year: This award is given to a National Council strategic partner who has significantly advanced MHFA and expanded the program’s reach.
- KPMG U.S. Foundation: The KPMG U.S. Foundation helps empower individuals and communities to reach their full potential by funding education, mental health and community vitality initiatives. As part of the KPMG LLP AI Impact Initiative, the National Council received a grant to use AI to streamline the delivery of Mental Health First Aid training, enhancing operational efficiency and content delivery and equipping more communities nationwide with scalable, data-informed mental health training.
Excellence Award: This award honors an organization for exceptional MHFA training delivery, including effective planning, outreach and execution.
- ADAMHS Board for Montgomery County, Ohio: With over 50 years of experience, the ADAMHS Board oversees and funds the continuum of behavioral health through policy development, strategic direction, funding allocations and data management. The ADAMHS Board enhances the quality, efficiency and reach of services for individuals with complex mental health and substance use needs. In 2024, in partnership with nearly 50 contracted providers, it provided over 100,000 treatment services, nearly 66,000 prevention services and more than 4,000 continuing education units to community providers. The ADAMHS Board has trained over 13,000 First Aiders.
MHFA Instructors of the Year and Coordinator of the Year: “As mental health and substance use challenges grow, we need to help communities recognize the signs and know how to respond,” said EL-Amin. “MHFA Instructors and Coordinators are leading this work by teaching practical skills across the country and supporting the mental wellbeing of their communities.”
- Adult Mental Health First Aid: Andrea Krotzer-Burton is a community health worker, leader, educator and mental health advocate with more than 20 years of experience advancing community health initiatives. As a Master Trainer for Everyday Life Consulting, she leads national education and training efforts that strengthen the community health workforce and expand access to health education. Krotzer-Burton is a Certified Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor and has trained more than 1,000 First Aiders. Through her work, she equips individuals and organizations with the skills needed to recognize, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.
- Youth Mental Health First Aid: Kelley Coronado, director of Youth Wellness at the Arizona Youth Partnership, is dedicated to helping youth thrive and supporting the adults who care for them. She began her career as a middle and high school Spanish teacher. She later joined the Arizona Youth Partnership, where her passion for youth development and community impact aligned with the organization’s mission to empower young people to lead healthy, purposeful lives. Coronado is committed to equipping adults to support youth through mental health challenges and has trained more than 2,200 Mental Health First Aiders.
- Teen Mental Health First Aid: David Galvan has more than 15 years of experience equipping communities to strengthen mental health awareness, resilience and suicide prevention. Galvan has been recognized twice for teaching the most Mental Health First Aid Aiders in Colorado and was named Colorado’s MHFA Instructor of the Year in 2023. He is also responsible for the most First Aiders taught in an in-person course and the most Teen First Aiders in 2025. Galvan currently serves as the Mental Health First Aid Trainer-in-Residence at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs, where he facilitates Adult, Youth and teen MHFA training.
- Mental Health First Aid Community-Specific Course: Gloria Kochalka has experience working with various nonprofit organizations, designing youth empowerment programs and organizing community events. She worked in the neonatal intensive care unit at Roberto Gilbert Children’s Hospital, supporting families and medical teams in highly demanding, emotionally challenging environments. Currently, Kochalka serves as a mental health trainer for organizations including Enterprising Latinas, Direction for Living and Love IV Lawrene Foundation, providing education, including MHFA training, to the Latino community.
- Coordinator of the Year: Alicia Freeman, LCMHC, LCAS-A, serves as the Mental Health First Aid program manager at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work. Since 2022, she has led large-scale MHFA implementation across campus and in community settings, resulting in more than 6,700 Mental Health First Aiders trained. Freeman is also the Founder and Clinical Director of Ascend Counseling, an Indigenous-owned private practice, where her work focuses on prevention, treatment and recovery.
Since 2008, over 4.5 million people nationwide have been trained in MHFA. Learn more about being a MHFA Instructor. Join an upcoming webinar or apply to become one today.
About the National Council
Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of more than 3,200 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 15 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, we have trained more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
About Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training program administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that teaches individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. More than 4.5 million people across the United States have been trained in MHFA by a dedicated base of thousands of Instructors.
Media Contact
Irene Tung
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