Alleghany Highlands Community Services Hosts ‘Mental Health First Aid’ Training   Covington, VA (Sept. 17, 2018) - Alleghany Highlands Community Services will be sponsoring a "Mental First Aid Training" event at the AHCS Life Skills Center, 550 Pine St. in Clifton Forge and October 15, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. It's open to the public. The course teaches individuals how to help those experiencing mental health challenges or crises. The event is an "8-hour training certification course which teaches participants a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select and implement interventions and secure appropriate care for the individual, the certification program introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews common treatments." Mental health challenges – such as depression, anxiety, psychosis and substance use – are shockingly common in the United States. In fact, more than one in five American adults will have a mental health problem in any given year. The National Council for Behavioral Health certifies individuals throughout the nation, including Alleghany Highlands Community Services, to provide Mental Health First Aid courses to prepare their communities with the knowledge and skills to help individuals who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Identified on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices, the training helps the public better identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses. For more information on Mental Health First Aid, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org. The deadline to register is October 12, 2018. Register online at: "https://www.eventbrite.com">www.eventbrite.com and search for Mental Health First Aid.

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