SHARON, Pa. – Penn State Shenango faculty members will offer free mental health first aid training to community members from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 10.
The skills-based course will give people the tools to identify, understand and respond to someone who might be struggling with a mental health or substance use challenge and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
The training is open to all interested community members and is especially beneficial for human service workers, clinicians, educators, first responders, health care workers, HR professionals and anyone in customer service or social services roles, according to a news release.
“Given the growing demand for mental health awareness and support, this training felt especially timely,” Tammy Divens, teaching professor in Penn State Shenango’s occupational therapy assistant program and a mental health first aid instructor, said. “It empowers both professionals and community members with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize and respond to mental health challenges. Our intent is to encourage the community and to bring hope.”
The training will be delivered in a blended format, meaning part of the training is done online and the rest will be done in person with certified instructors in Sharon Hall, Room 108. The online portion will cover foundational knowledge, and the live session will focus on real-life scenarios, skill-building and discussion.
“In many fields, this kind of training is becoming essential not just for safety, but for creating supportive, healthy workplaces,” Roxanne Atterholt, associate teaching professor of human development and family studies and a mental health first aid instructor, said.
Registration for the training session is limited to 30 participants. To register, email Atterholt at rxa32@psu.edu.
Training for the instructors and community participants is funded through Penn State Shenango’s Kathleen and John Mastrian Community Health Impact Fund.