The College of the Canyons Health & Wellness Center will host a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training event designed to provide students and community members with the tools and training needed to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance abuse.

The training event will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in Student Center, Room 128, located on the college’s Valencia campus.

Mental Health First Aid USA is managed, operated, and disseminated by three national authorities — the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Described as a “groundbreaking public education program,” the eight-hour Mental Health First Aid USA course has been used by a wide variety of groups and individuals, including: primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, students and community members.

Conducted as a daylong seminar, this MHFA course will introduce participants to the risk factors and warning signs associated with mental health problems, build understanding of their impact and provide an overviews of common treatments. Specifically, participants will learn:

* The potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including: depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury.

* An understanding of the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced stigma in their communities.

* A five-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources and knowledge to assess the situation, to select and implement appropriate interventions, and to help the individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional care.

* The evidence-based professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone with a mental health problem.

This MHFA training seminar is FREE to attend, however interested individuals must register in advance.

Upon completion of the course participants will be certified in MHFA (attendees must stay for the entire session in order to receive their MHFA certification).

These events are made possible with grant funding provided by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and the voter-approved Mental Health Act (Prop 63).

For more information about the college’s Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training seminar, or to register to attend please contact Gayle Freund at (661) 362-5259 or Gayle.Freund@canyons.edu.