In response to our nation’s mental health crisis, Carle RMH will bring Mental Health First Aid
training to Effingham, Il on Saturday June 11 th 9:am-1:30pm. This groundbreaking skills-based
course gives 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.
One in five Americans has a mental illness, and the pandemic has dramatically increased
depression and anxiety, but many are reluctant to seek help or don’t know where to turn for
care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can
be difficult to detect. Friends and family members may find it hard to know when and how to
step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not receive care until it is
too late.
Just as CPR helps even those without clinical training assist an individual having a heart attack,
Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental
health crisis. Mental Health First Aiders learn a 5-step Action Plan that guides them through the
process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.
“Never has it been more important for our communities to talk about mental health and
substance use,” says Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Mental
Wellbeing, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008. “This program is
breaking down barriers and stigma so that together we can learn how to better support one
another. Without mental health, there is no health.”
In just 12 years, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement in the United States
— more than 2.5 million people are certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is
growing every day.
For more information or to participate in a Mental Health First Aid training in Effingham, Il, visit
Carle.org/mhfa or contact Leslie Shan, Carle RMH at leslie.shan@carle.com.
