Salina Post
The Saline County Health Department has announced they will be offering free mental health training for the community.
According to the Health Department, they will be offering a free Adult Mental Health First Aid training to community members on a monthly to bi-monthly basis.
The next blended-format course will be held on Tuesday, August 25, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the Saline County Health Department located at 125 W. Elm Street in Salina.
Registration for the August 25 session is available by clicking here.
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training that teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.
Similar to physical First Aid and CPR, Mental Health First Aid helps people provide initial support to someone who may be experiencing a mental health concern or crisis until appropriate professional help or other resources can be accessed.
The Adult Mental Health First Aid course is offered in a blended format.
Participants complete a self-paced online portion before attending the instructor-led, in-person session. The in-person training provides opportunities to apply the material through discussion, activities, and practical skill-building.
During the course, participants will learn to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, respond appropriately to a person in distress or crisis, listen without judgment, offer reassurance and information, and encourage professional help and self-help strategies.
Mental health concerns can affect individuals, families, workplaces, schools, and communities. Because signs and symptoms may not always be visible, community members can play an important role in recognizing when someone may need support and helping connect them to appropriate resources.
Mental Health First Aid equips participants with a five-step action plan, known as ALGEE, to guide them in assessing a situation, listening nonjudgmentally, providing reassurance and information, encouraging appropriate professional help, and encouraging self-help and other support strategies.
“Adult Mental Health First Aid gives community members practical, evidence-based tools to support the people around them,” said Meagan Rico, Health Educator with the Saline County Health Department. “Whether someone is concerned about a family member, friend, coworker, neighbor, or community member, this training can help them recognize signs of a concern and respond with care and confidence.”
The Saline County Health Department plans to offer additional Adult Mental Health First Aid sessions approximately every one to two months. Dates and registration information for future classes will be shared as they become available.
For questions about the August 25 class or upcoming Adult Mental Health First Aid trainings, contact Meagan Rico at ricom@salinecountyks.gov or 785-833-7330