Interested in partnering with Meridian to help combat stigma and educate the community on Mental Health? You can do so by sponsoring training for community members on how to recognize and respond to mental health crises through Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification. Now thorough April, we are hosting a fundraising drive with the goal of offering 20 Mental Health First Aid training courses at no cost to the public. Classes sponsored through the drive will be held during Mental Health Month in May of 2017. Similar to First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for medical emergencies, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trains participants to identify and respond through a five-step action plan to potential mental illness or substance use disorders until appropriate professional help can arrive. Topics covered include: emotional problems, depression, crisis first aid for suicidal behavior, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, acute stress reaction, psychotic disorders, substance abuse disorders, eating disorders and self-injury. “What’s great about Mental Health First Aid training is its ideal for anybody,” said Dr. Maggie Labarta, President and CEO of Meridian. “Increasing the number of people in the community who are able to recognize mental health crises and know action steps to respond gets sufferers to appropriate care faster and helps reduces stigma.” The eight-hour training earns participants Mental Health First Aider certification through the National Council on Behavioral Health that is valid for three years. Individual and corporate partners interested in sponsoring MHFA training can visit www.mbhci.org/donate or contact David Rountree, Director of Development and Communications at (352) 374-54600, ext. 8187, or david_rountree@mbhci.org.

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