The Arkansas Department of Education is offering two Mental Health First Aid courses at the OUR Educational Cooperative in Harrison. The first is March 27 and the second will be April 16.
Both classes begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.
The Arkansas AWARE grant is covering the cost of the in-person course - $170 per person.
There is a $23 workshop fee that is not covered by the grant, but it will cover your lunch.
Registration ends at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27.
Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
Who needs to know mental health first aid? Employers, police officers, hospital staff, first responders and caring individuals.
On average, 130 people die by suicide every day. (Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) From 1999 to 2019, 841,000 people died from drug overdoses. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Nearly 1 in 5 in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. (Source: National Institute of Mental Health)
The course will teach you how to apply the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE): • Assess for risk of suicide or harm. • Listen non-judgmentally. • Give reassurance and information. • Encourage appropriate professional help. • Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
