FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National: http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org
Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition Offers
Mental Health First Aid Training at Mission Valley United Methodist Church
A Part of National Initiative to Increase Mental Health Literacy
On Saturday, September 23, 2017, The Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition will be offering Mental Health First Aid training at 70715 Hwy 93, top of Post Creek Hill. This groundbreaking 8-hour training course gives people the tools to identify when someone might be struggling with a mental health or substance use problem and to connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
1 in 5 Americans has a mental illness, but many are reluctant to seek help or might not know where to turn for care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. For friends and family members, it can be hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not get them until it is too late.
Just as CPR helps even those without clinical training assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental health crisis. Mental Health First Aiders learn a 5-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.
“Through this program, we hope to take the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems,” says Linda Rosenberg President and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008. “When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they may need.”
In just ten years, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement in the United States—more than 800,000 people are certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is growing every day.
Cathy Billie with FRHRC explains why this training is so important–”Mental health is a medical and community issue and we welcome this free opportunity to help us help our fellow community members address this issue with compassion and training.”
For more information or to participate in a Mental Health First Aid training in Charlo, visit frhrc2.wordpress.com/ or Cathy at 406-745-4259 or contact Joan Schmidt at 406-871-1008 or jschmidt06@centurytel.net. ###
To learn more about Mental Health First Aid USA, visit http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.
The National Council for Behavioral Health was instrumental in bringing Mental Health First Aid to the USA and more than 800,000 individuals have been trained.
