A program aimed at educating the community about mental health concerns will continue its mission with a session later this week.
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center will host a Mental Health First Aid [MHFA] training session for adults from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, in Bloomington. Registration is now open. Participants who live or work in McLean County can register for $12, which covers a manual, snacks, lunch and other course materials.
Those who attend will receive a three-year certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., and originally formed in Australia in 2001. The same course takes place all over the country.
The MHFA courses began three years after the McLean County First Aid Collaborative began in 2014. The collaborative includes the McLean County Health Department [MCHD], the McLean County Center for Human Services, Central Illinois Health Education Center, Illinois State University, Carle BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center.
Local MHFA trainings have been happening since 2017 and are supported by other organizations such as Chestnut Health Systems, Carle BroMenn, Unit 5 schools, District 87 schools and Project Oz. There are sessions for youth, adults and older adults.
The course aims to teach the necessary skills to provide support to someone who may be developing a mental health disorder or a substance use disorder, according to a press release from the MCHD.
Increased need
Erin Kennedy, manager of the Community Resource Center at OSF, said the program has taught over 3,200 students since its launch in 2017.
“Every three years, we do a Community Health Needs Assessment [CHNA] that focuses on questions regarding mental health and behavioral health … and we were just seeing an increase of those individuals who are struggling with mental health conditions and illnesses,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy cited the 2024 CHNA for its compelling results.
“The adult community population identified that 19% were in good mental health, 60% were in average mental health and 19% were in poor mental health,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said both those struggling with mental health disorders and those who know of someone suffering can benefit from the training. She said there will be conversations about the rise of depression, anxiety and those who consider suicide.
The training consists of lecture-style teaching, video lessons and hands-on application.
“We’ve done a really good job at decreasing the stigma regarding mental health, and so I think more people aware [and] they’re more honest, which is great,” Kennedy said.
Five-pronged toolkit
Catrina Parker, instructor of the upcoming MHFA adult course, said it's meant to give people skills to help others in crisis.
The session will follow a method called "ALGEE," an acronym which stands for Assess for risk of suicide or harm, Listen nonjudgmentally, Give reassurance and information, Encourage appropriate professional help, and Encourage self-help and other support strategies."
“During class, we’re teaching people how to see the early signs and symptoms of someone who may be struggling,” Parker said.
Parker is also a family engagement specialist for the All Our Kids [AOK] Early Childhood Network of the MCHD.
Parker said she teaches the course for all three age groups and teaches about seven classes a year. She used one of her students as an example of how beneficial the course can be.
“They took the youth class and then they took the adult class later, and they mentioned that they were able to use youth MHFA shortly after taking the class. I think [after] taking the class, you have a much better understanding, and you can notice those early signs and symptoms better than you could before,” Parker said.
Parker said she’d like to have business relationships with other businesses like Rivian and State Farm to further encourage those in busy workforces to seek help if they need it.
“Depression, it doesn’t have respect of a person. It can happen to anyone in any demographic, whether they have lots of money or not have much at all,” Parker said.
Marianne Manko, public affairs coordinator of the MCHD, described the changes that have taken place since the department began implementing the MHFA course.
“We are seeing more people who are talking about mental health openly, we see more people who are getting help for mental health … but it still remains one of the top three things we need to work on in our county,” Manko said.
Manko said those in non-emergency situations who are seeking emotional support should dial the Illinois Warm Line at (866) 359-7935.
Meanwhile, the 8th annual McLean County Behavioral Health Forum will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center. It will consist of 16 breakout sessions which will cover topics specific to the local community as well as broader mental health concerns. ISU has also also provided a venue for MHFA training courses in the past.
To enroll in the Mental Health First Aid course and see a schedule of additional courses, including those for children and older adults, visit the McLean County Health Department's website.
