CRHC has become aware of a great resource for education in Rural Mental Health First Aid. Mental Health First Aid is an interactive 12-hour training course that presents an overview of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in the U.S. The course introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and reviews common treatments. The course offers easy to follow materials for non-clinicians to identify, understand, and provide initial help to individuals in crisis or showing symptoms of a mental illness or substance use disorder.
The course is a terrific opportunity to bring people together across the community on a topic of importance to everyone.
Mental Health First Aid can:
>> Enhance community level capacity to identify mental health and substance abuse issues early on;
>> Increase awareness of and refer people to resources;
>> Increase the confi dence of natural rural helpers to intervene;
>> Broaden the concepts of “workforce” and “fi rst responders” to support the community as a whole;
>> Decrease any negative opinions about individuals living with a mental health or substance use concern;
>> Reinforce that mental health and substance abuse issues can be viewed in a health framework
You can provide Mental Health First Aid trainings to a broad community audience or to a specific organization.
The training is appropriate for a wide variety of audiences, and may include:
>> Community health workers, tribal health workers, Promotoras/Promotores
>> Employers and business leaders
>> Law enforcement personnel
>> Corrections offi cers and parole/probation offi cers
>> EMS personnel
>> School personnel and educators
>> Members of faith communities and their leaders
>> Medical providers (e.g., nurses, medical assistants)
>> Employees of service-oriented businesses (dry cleaners, barber shops, etc)
>> Librarians
>> Policymakers
>> Volunteers
Organizing a Mental Health First Aid training in your rural community would be an easy thing to do and CRHC would like to guage interest among its members who would be interested in acquiring Mental Health First Aid training. Email Bridgette if your facility or community would be interested.
