Table 2.

Course ratings and sample qualitative feedback of MHIT training participants^*

Training seminar date	Overall course rating (1=poor, 5=excellent)	Comments
July 2008 (n=42)	4.9	This will be an ongoing and continuing process…together we can make this mental health approach to recovery work. The presenters worked very hard, and the effect, expertise and energy are appreciated. Nice flexibility to meet audience needs.
October 2008 (n=42)	4.7	I learned some useful skills and will apply them. I believe New Orleans could benefit from a second training. There should have been more information given by the presenters and less input from the attendees. I would love for this course to continue. We needed discussion of examples relevant to the city of New Orleans, a city rebuilding post disaster. Excellent training.
February 2009 (n=134)	4.73	(Presenters) were exceptional. They interacted with the audience, made examples applicable and were coherent and reflective. This is better than grad school! The materials are so very helpful to case managers. This was a fantastic introduction to CBT. The session on communicating effectively to optimize treatment was excellent. The sharing and networking was very fruitful. Self-care assessment worksheet was fabulous. Very organized. Excellent role-playing practice. The CBT info was presented very quickly. As a new comer, it was a bit difficult to keep up with the pace.
May 2009 (n=80)	4.56	I like the fact that we met together—both outreach and clinical. The communicating effectively piece was extremely important as a means of making more informed and ethical decisions. Could maybe spend more time on how to do PDSA cycles and evaluate them. Would like more opportunity to network. PTSD: More theory and less case study. We all know the cases. We need treatment techniques. Also more focus on resilience and protective factors. This CBT course allowed me to open my ideas, correct and refine them and enable me to rationally learn, step-by-step on how to do this work.
August 2009 (n=57)	4.69	I liked the idea you involved community members from New Orleans in the training. The serious mental illness was a big help to me. It helped me to understand what’s really going on with certain clients. The presentations continue to be relevant and helpful to my work. Expected actual self-care session, not just a discussion-although it was a good discussion. More time set aside for networking. Loved the case studies and role playing.
December 2009 (n=70)	4.67	The role plays for suicide were very engaging and essential. CBT: Great training, great educators, great info. Training was very helpful. Loved the self care portion (not only for my own use, but for use with clients as well.) Very good program and useful because I find that generally no matter what the problem, depression is there and it immobilizes the person to act.
March 2010 (n=43)	4.54	What about asking a client or two to come and present? The interaction and information…related very much to what I do as an outreach worker. I was able to learn some new tools and put them into practice. Each session has offered additional useful information and reinforcement of previous learning. Professional presentation. Very helpful. Continue…doing presentations and activities combined. It’s like a hands-on experience while you’re learning.

^*MHIT participants reported on several other measures including instructor knowledge, instruction materials, and applicability of knowledge and skills gained. Across all seven training seminars, mean scores for all measures were consistently between four and five on a five point Likert scale.