Salisbury, MD – In response to our nation’s mental health crisis, Wicomico County Health Department will bring Mental Health First Aid training to the business community in Wicomico County as a two-part class on July 22,2024 and July 24,2024. This course will be held virtually via Zoom from 8:30-11:30am on the previously mentioned dates. Two hours of pre work will be required before attending the class and you must attend both days to receive your certificate of completion. This groundbreaking skills-based course gives people 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.
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. 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.”
To participate in the two-part training being held on 7/22/24 and 7/24/24 please register at this link https://forms.gle/Dp3pHPGZq3QxoHceA. If you have additional questions, please contact Crissy Bowie-Simpson or Michelle Hardy at 410-543-6981 or
christina.bowie@maryland.gov/michelle.hardy@maryland.gov
For more info, visit the Wicomico County Health Department’s website at www.wicomicohealth.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram (WicomicoHealth) or Twitter (@WicomicoHealth).
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.
