Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid™ is an in-person training, lasting eight hours, that teaches participants how to spot and help someone who is developing a mental illness or who is in a crisis. It is often compared to basic CPR for the lay person when it comes to mental illness. In any given community setting it is likely that some people know how to help someone who is choking but not likely that some people know how to help someone exhibiting mental illness.

Mount Auburn Hospital offers this training at no cost to community members and organizations as part of its array of community benefits. Laura Beaton, from the Community Health Department at Mount Auburn Hospital, has been trained as a leader in Mental Health First Aid, and is the teacher of the class.She says, “The decision to add Mental Health First Aid to Mount Auburn Hospital’s community health department was an effort to decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness. I personally thought I knew the signs of mental illness, but I quickly realized I didn’t while completing the training. I am excited to offer the same opportunity for education and growth to others.”

Patricia Calioro, Vice President of Clinical Services at the Visiting Nurse Assisted and Senior Living is requiring the training for her staff. In addition to providing skilled home care services, the group operates two assisted living facilities in Somerville providing care for two hundred residents. According to Patricia, “many of those residents suffer from some form of mental illness. We felt that it would be extremely beneficial for the staff, especially non-licensed, to have a broader knowledge base to understand and react appropriately to the behavioral changes that can occur due to mental health issues. It has been our experience that very often it is the front line workers, personal care and dining staff that are the first to witness these changes.”

The next class is being offered next on April 8th, from 8:30 AM-5:00 PM. It will be held at Mount Auburn Healthcare, in Waltham, MA. To register or get more information, please call 617-499-5625.

’