United Services will be hosting a free 8-hour Mental Health First Aid training to the community on August 2 and 4 at United Services’ Dayville Clinic at 1007 North Main Street, Dayville, CT from 9:00am – 1:00pm each day. Participation is required for both sessions to become certified in Mental Health First Aid.
The 8-hour training is limited to the first 24 individuals to register. To register for Mental Health First Aid, contact Emily Morrison of United Services at 860-774-2020 or email at info@usmhs.org. 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.
Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking public education program that helps the public and other target audiences identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This award winning national training program helps individuals without clinical training to assist someone in immediate need of mental health support or referral. The training, serving as the CPR equivalent for Mental Health, provides those certified with the essential skills to assess and support an individual until appropriate professional help can be provided.
Through MHFA 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.
Participants will engage in activities that build understanding of the impact of the illness and teach how to assess, listen, give reassurance and encourage self-help strategies. Mental Health First Aid has been widely acclaimed by emergency responders, educators, corporate managers, business owners, human resource professionals, healthcare workers and other members of the community.