Twenty to become Mental Health First Aid trainers

MARSHFIELD — Security Health Plan has selected 20 area residents who will be trained as Mental Health First Aid instructors, during a week-long course, Oct. 12-16 in Marshfield.

The first class of instructors includes educators, emergency responders, social workers and health care professionals. As part of their agreement with Security Health Plan, after they receive certification each instructor will teach at least three Mental Health First Aid courses in their home communities.

“We need only watch the evening news or read the morning headlines to know we need to do a better job identifying and helping someone who is facing a mental health crisis,” said Mark LePage, M.D., chief medical officer at Security Health Plan. “When it comes to a medical emergency, most people know what to do as a first response. But there is little knowledge in the general public about how to respond to the early signs of mental health crises.”

Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help adults who are developing a mental health condition or experiencing a mental health crisis. The instructor certification training is conducted by the National Council, which manages the program in the U.S. along with the states of Maryland and Missouri.

Communities represented in this instructor class include: Barron County, Chippewa Falls, Ladysmith, Marshfield, Mattoon, Merrill, Spencer, Stevens Point, Tony, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids. The new instructors will join more than 3,700 U.S. instructors already certified by MHFA-USA as instructors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

“This training program is a step in the right direction. These 20 will return to their communities certified to teach the Mental Health First Aid course to others,” LePage added.

Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence Based Programs and Practices. Studies show that training in Mental Health First Aid builds confidence in helping an individual experiencing a mental health challenge, reduces negative or distancing attitudes toward individuals with mental illnesses, and increases mental health literacy – being able to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

“When we meet with health officials they often identify behavioral health as one of their top community health priorities,” said Jay Shrader, director of disease management and wellness for Security Health Plan. “This instructor-class includes an impressive cross-section of professional backgrounds who serve rural and urban communities. They will make their communities better prepared to recognize and respond to mental health crises. ”

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About Security Health Plan

Security Health Plan is a member of the Marshfield Clinic Health System, serving more than 230,000 residents in Wisconsin. Accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Security Health Plan insures employees of large and small businesses, individuals and families, and administers self-funded employer health plans.

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Mental Health First Aid USA™ is collaboration between the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

The National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council) is the unifying voice of America’s community mental health and addictions treatment organizations. Together with our 2,000 member organizations, we serve our nation’s most vulnerable citizens — the more than eight million adults and children living with mental illnesses and addiction disorders. We are committed to ensuring all Americans have access to comprehensive, high-quality care that affords every opportunity for recovery and full participation in community life. The National Council pioneered Mental Health First Aid in the U.S. and has trained nearly 100,000 individuals to connect youth and adults in need to mental health and addictions care in their communities.