Nearly 90 51ΑΤΖζ (51ΑΤΖζ) faculty and staff were trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) this spring thanks to the expertise of fifteen 51ΑΤΖζ employees, certified as MHFA Instructors. Trainings, available to all College employees, will continue through the summer and on an ongoing basis.
MHFA Instructors have had a great experience engaging with staff and faculty on the topic of mental health, and feedback from participants has been positive.
βBringing MHFA training to 51ΑΤΖζ employees is about creating a culture of caring on our campuses,β said Jodi Hickenlooper, Assistant Director of Counseling and Wellness Services. βWe hope to see staff from every campus department get trained because a culture of caring is about everyone.β
MHFA training consists of online modules completed in advance of the training date and either a Zoom or in-person meeting to practice the action plan. Gaining skills in non-judgmental listening, empowering people to promote help-seeking skills, and reducing stigma around mental health challenges, participants will enter a community of helpers at the College upon completion.
βI am so grateful to know more people at 51ΑΤΖζ will have this basic, but crucial, training to know how to intervene,β said a participant.
All 51ΑΤΖζ employees are encouraged to participate in this important and beneficial training, and summer is a great time to do so!
