NAMI Four County will offer a free Adult Mental Health First Aid class and a free Youth Mental Health First Aid class next month (May) in Defiance.
The adult class will be held on two consecutive mornings from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 12 in the upstairs conference room of the Defiance County East building, located at 1300 E. Second St.
The youth course will also be held on those two consecutive days, but that class will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., also at the Defiance East upstairs conference room.
The class is taught by instructors who have completed a week-long training presented by The National Council for Mental Wellness, the organization that developed the program.
Participants will learn how to recognize the risk factors, signs and symptoms of the most prevalent mental health issues affecting adults or youth.
They will also learn how to listen nonjudgmentally and provide reassurance, as well as how to encourage professional and self-help for the person and their family.
Once the material has been presented, participants will actively practice how to get involved in an appropriate manner to assist the person who may be experiencing a mental health issue in both crisis and non-crisis situations until the appropriate mental health professionals can take over.
Class size is limited and the free classes generally fill quickly, so pre-registration is necessary. Persons can register for either the adult or youth training. Or, if they would like to complete both trainings over the two-day period, they can register for both.
To register or for more information, contact Billie Jo (B.J.) Horner, NAMI’s program coordinator and a Maumee Valley Guidance Center certified prevention specialist, at 419-785-3815.