At J.B. and Hallie Jester Annex in Round Rock on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019
MHFA can save a life, just like CPR can help save someone who is having a heart attack.
The program offered a 5-step action plan to help someone who might be developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
The 8-hour training was provided by Integral Care and Bluebonnet Trails Community Services with support from St. David’s Foundation. MHFA was first introduced in the U.S. in 2008 and since then, thousands of people from throughout the county have taken the course.
Role-playing and simulations taught participants, including Commissioner Cook, how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect persons to appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care.
Participants learned the warning signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illness and received information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis and substance use disorder. They also learned what to say in these situations that is helpful and appropriate, and what to avoid saying.
Participants were also provided information about additional regional resources, including NAMI Austin, a non-profit organization offering no-cost educational resources, support groups and workshops throughout Central Texas for you or your loved ones affected by mental illness. For more information, visit www.namiaustin.org.
For more information or questions about Mental Health First Aid, please email mhfa@integralcare.org or visit www.integralcare.org/en/mhfa.