May is Mental Heath Awareness Month… Quote from this website…
For more than 60 years, May has been nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Mental wellness is essential for peak cognitive and physical performance and ensures the readiness of our service members. This month the Military Health System (MHS) focuses on the mental wellness of service members, their families, retirees, and DoD civilians. We will highlight the tools and resources available for the prevention and treatment of the DoD community’s overall mental wellness.”
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I am pleased to share that Mental Health First Aid training has arrived in Lincoln County Oregon! I was happy to take the lead to bring the Mental Health 1st Aid training to our City of Depoe Bay, Oregon with the help of Lincoln County Health & Human Services. We are scheduling an overview introduction to the Depoe Bay City Council, and to the Neighbors for Kids (NFK) Board of Directors during this month. Near future training for selected staff in both organizations will be schedule. Following are a few highlights of the training quoted from the website…
Mental Health First Aid
is an in-person training that teaches you how to help people developing a mental illness or in a crisis.
Mental Health First Aid teaches you:
- Signs of addictions and mental illnesses
- 5-step action plan to assess a situation and help
- Impact of mental and substance use disorders
- Local resources and where to turn for help
The State of Oregon is making mental health a top priority going forward with a campaign slogan, “Can’t We Do More?” It is the responsibility of local and county government, private, and public leadership to take advantage of this training. Lincoln County Mental Health offers the availability of two highly trained staff members to conduct training on a selected basis. I have written previously in this blog about the need to do more in rural communities for mental health awareness... click on highlighted text for more…
You can make a difference during the month of May and all year by taking a look at the Mental Health First Aid program for your own needs as a business, school or public service organization. Please review the references and resources available and take action. Mental Health 1st Aid is just as critical as getting training for first-aid best practices in general. Lives are saved through a higher level of awareness of all health and wellness challenges in local communities everywhere.
Steve Sparks, Author, Reconciliation: A Son’s Story and My Journey of Healing in Life after Trauma, Part 1… Click highlighted text for my author page…
Vice Chair, Neighbors for Kids & Depoe Bay City Councilor
