Westerly Hospital Offers Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification Training

WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, November 9, 2017 – Westerly Hospital, in partnership with the Washington County Coalition for Children, will be offering a free, two-part certification training course on Youth Mental Health First Aid. Classes will be held on Saturday, December 2 and Saturday, October 9, from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Westerly Hospital’s Henry J. Nardone Conference Center.

The course will be co-facilitated by Westerly Hospital physician Robert Harrison, MD and Susan Orban, LICSW, Washington County Coalition for Children.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a mental health literacy program designed to teach adults a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to young people facing mental health challenges or in crisis situations as well as connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self-care they need.

This free course is ideally designed for adults who work with young people, ages 12-18 — teachers, coaches, leaders of faith communities, police officers, youth group leaders, parents, and other caring citizens. The interactive curriculum teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, AD/HD, disruptive behavior disorders, and substance use disorders.

This program is free and open to the public. Space is limited to 25 participants. To register, call 800-636-2824 or email Dr. Robert Harrison at [email protected]. Registration is also available online at westerlyhospital.org.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program coordinated by the National Council for Behavioral Health. For more information, visit www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org.