KOSCIUSKO — Mental Health First Aid will be offered in Kosciusko County at the Farm Bureau Insurance Building from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 14.

This groundbreaking eight-hour training course gives people the tools to identify when someone might be struggling with a mental health or substance use problem and to connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary. Mental Health First Aid is open to any adult who is interested and wants to learn skills to assist those who may be in need. These courses have been attended by law enforcement, healthcare providers and professionals, school personnel, faith-based leaders, farmers, veterinarians, and concerned family members and friends.

One in five Americans has a mental illness, but many are reluctant to seek help or might not know where to turn for care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. For friends and family members, it can be hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not get them 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 five-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.

“Through this program, we hope to take the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems,” said Linda Rosenberg, president and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008. “When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they may need.”

Registration to attend this all-day event is required and includes a training workbook and lunch. The cost is $20. For more details and to sign-up, click here. The deadline to register is Thursday, March 7, and is limited to 30 participants. If you have questions about this course, please contact Kelly Heckaman at the Purdue Extension Kosciusko County office by phone at (574) 372-2340 or by e-mail at [email protected].