The Mitchell County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) has long been aware of the lack of accessible mental care services for families and youth in Mitchell County and other rural areas across the state. This year the JCPC is helping fill some of those gaps with locally provided training. Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based course that helps give people tools to identify, understand and respond to someone who might be struggling with mental health or substance abuse challenges and help connect them to supports that are available when necessary.
“Mental Health First Aid is important because it teaches everyday members of the community how to recognize early signs of mental health challenges, as well as how to offer support and connect those in need to appropriate resources,” said JCPC Chair Misti Silver. “This is especially vital in rural communities like ours where access to professional mental health services is limited.”
Silver, along with Angela Atkins and Samantha Knight, is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. On April 18 and 20 the trio trained 27 members of the JCPC and JCPC funded programs including Mitchell County Department of Human Services staff, Project Challenge staff, ALIVE program staff, community mental health professionals, and pastors. Mitchell County Schools staff have also participated in JCPC sponsored training
One in five Americans has a mental illness. But unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. Friends, family members and local service providers who are not mental health care professionals may find it hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often don’t seek 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.
“It was a highly informative presentation along with useful procedures for implementation,” said JCPC Member Reverend Richard Biega, rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Spruce Pine.
Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing credits the program with “breaking down barriers and stigma so that together we can learn how to better support one another. Without mental health, there is no health.”
Silver is an instructor in the Human Services Associate Degree Program at Mayland Community College. She will be teaching Mental Health First Aid courses through the Mayland Continuing Education Department in the Fall semester. “The dates haven’t been determined yet, but more information will be available at the website.” Go to https://www.mayland.edu/continuing-education/
