The Mental Health Association in Talbot County is offering a new program of Mental Health First Aid instruction on the Eastern Shore. The classes are open to businesses, organizations, medical personnel and the general public.

State certified instructors teach individuals to become familiar with the symptoms of mental health problems. Just as in first aid training for medical emergencies, participants learn how to recognize a mental health crisis, how they should initially respond and when professional help is needed.

Whether someone is confronted with a clinically depressed friend, a family member dealing with a traumatic event or a coworker having a panic attack, knowing how to listen and respond appropriately may stabilize a possibly life-threatening situation until professional help can be provided.

Mental Health Association in Talbot County Executive Director Christina Mills explained that every family can be faced with a mental disorder. The First Aid training covers many specific conditions, such as substance abuse, depression and psychoses, anxiety and eating disorders.

First aid trainers Susan Sherman and Lynn Sanchez recently conducted a session for about twenty participants, hosted by the Third Haven Friends Meeting House in Easton. Some students were from local organizations, seeking skills to enhance their ability to relate to clients. Others were individuals interested in learning how to recognize problems and help.

Group exercises and activities taught participants the basic steps of assessing risk, listening non-judgmentally, providing reassurance and getting help. Sherman and Sanchez emphasized that their goal is to promote better understanding, not to train participants to be therapists. As with medical first aid, Shermannoted, “These skills are easy to remember, implement and act on if you are in a situation where they are needed.”

Not only does the comprehensive training teach how to recognize problems in others, it also focuses on an individual’s own mental health. Self-help strategies are presented that can be incorporated into anyone’s life to promote mental wellness and the ability to handle difficulties more successfully.

Mills noted that, after the crisis on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007, Maryland became the first state to adopt the Mental Health First Aid program developed by the University of Melbourne in Australia. Mental Health Association in Talbot County is the first to offer the training on the Eastern Shore.

The First Aid course consists of twelve hours of training divided into two, three or four sessions, depending on participants’ schedules. Businesses and organizations may arrange for training for their staff, or individuals may sign up on their own. Training is scheduled when the Association has from 15 to 25 participants enrolled.

Tuition discounts are being offered to Chamber of Commerce members and nonprofits. The Association is coordinating the training for the entire Eastern Shore.

“We would love everyone to have this training,” said Mills. “The more people are educated about mental health issues, the less stigma there is. This program offers good tips that will help anyone in life.”

To enroll for the training or for more information, call the Mental Health Association in Talbot County at 410-822-0444 or visit www.mhamdes.org.