Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid

Making Strides with Mental Wellness

Horizons Mental Health Clinic is pleased to offer a groundbreaking mental health education program called Mental Health First Aid. The classes — which are free to anyone who lives or works in Reno County — are designed to help members of the public understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders.

Before you can know how to help, you need to know when to help. We call this mental health literacy, or a basic understanding of what different mental illnesses and addictions are, how they can affect a person’s daily life, and what helps individuals experiencing these challenges get well.

— National Council for Behavioral Health

What You’ll Learn

Before you can know how to help, you need to know when to help. This “mental health literacy” is a basic understanding of different mental illnesses and addictions, how they can affect a person’s daily life, and what promotes wellness in affected individuals.

Trainees learn a five-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources, and knowledge to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professionals, and/or develop self care and coping strategies.

Training topics include: 

  • Depression and mood disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Trauma
  • Psychosis
  • Substance use disorders

Mental Health First Aid for Youth

Since 2008, the core MHFA course has been successfully offered to hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S., including hospital staff, employers and business leaders, faith communities, law enforcement, and the general public. 

In 2013, President Obama recommended similar training for school teachers, to address the younger population’s mental health needs. 

Who Should Attend

The MHFA Youth course is designed for adults who regularly interact with adolescents, such as: 

  • Teachers
  • School staff and administration
  • Coaches
  • Youth group leaders
  • Parents

The course is being tested for appropriateness within older adolescent groups (16 and older), to explore youth/peer-to-peer interaction. 

For more information about Mental Health First Aid, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org

Trainers

  • Youth: Beth Akins and Megan Smyth
  • Adult: Holly Adcock, Beth Akins and Lisa Lekan 

Upcoming Classes

Youth
November 5, 2020
Trade Center Community Room | 1600 N. Lorraine | Hutchinson, KS 

Adult
October 16, 2020
Trade Center Community Room | 1600 N. Lorraine | Hutchinson, KS

To register, contact Beth at akinsm@hmhc.com or call 620-663-7595, ext. 6336.

Horizons Mental Health Clinic is happy to arrange courses for Fire/EMS personnel, teachers, and all those interested in learning more about mental health. Special classes can be arranged for groups of 10 or more. Classes are free for anyone living or working in Reno County, or $30 per person for those outside the county, thanks to generous funding by The United Way of Reno County.