MHFA logo for webUnited Services is offering free Mental Health First Aid training on July 18 at the Mansfield Town Hall.

The 8-hour course will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday July 18 at in the Council Chambers, Mansfield Town Hall, 4 S Eagleville Road, Mansfield.

There is limited availability for these award winning trainings, serving as the mental health equivalent to CPR to provide individuals with the skills to assist in a mental health crisis until professional assistance can be provided. Residents must attend all 8 hours of the training to be certified.

Those interested in attending should register by contacting Emily Morrison of United Services at info@usmhs.org or by calling 860-774-2020.

Through Mental Health First Aid participants learn:

  • The signs and symptoms of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, psychosis and addiction;
  • How to approach someone in a mental health crisis;
  • How to be supportive, diffuse the situation and encourage professional help, and;
  • What to do if someone is suicidal, harming themselves or refuses help.

Funding for this community training is made possible thanks to the proceeds of the annual Particle Accelerator” benefit rock concert in memory of Jack Young, Jr., held June 10 on Main Street in Putnam.