Local Area is Part of a National Initiative to Increase Mental Health Literacy for Adults working with Youth
In response to our nation’s mental health crisis, Ohio State University Extension, Darke County will bring Youth Mental Health First Aid training to Darke County on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at Final Bow Center for Children’s Performing Arts in Greenville from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
This groundbreaking skills-based course gives people who work with youth the tools to identify, understand and respond to someone who might be struggling with a mental health or substance use challenge — and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
Participants will be required to complete the online pre-work (2 hours) prior to attending the in-person training on August 10 th. To register for this free training go to go.osu.edu/YouthMHFA. The deadline to register is July 31 st . Through community grants provided by United Way of Darke County and The Greenville Rotary Club this opportunity is offered at no cost to those who wish to become certified.
One in five Americans has a mental illness, and the pandemic has dramatically increased depression and anxiety, but many are reluctant to seek help or don’t know where to turn for care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. Friends and family members may find it hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not receive care 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.
“Never has it been more important for our communities to talk about mental health and substance use,” says Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008. “This program is breaking down barriers and stigma so that together we can learn how to better support one another. Without mental health, there is no health.”
In just 12 years, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement in the United States — more than 2.5 million people are certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is growing every day.
For more information or to participate in a Youth Mental Health First Aid training in Darke County visit www.darke.osu.edu or contact Dr. Roseanne Scammahorn or Rhonda Williams at 937-548-5215.
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing was instrumental in bringing Mental Health First Aid to the United States. To learn more about Mental Health First Aid USA, visit MHFA.org.