Class is May 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Matthews Christian Center.
ST MATTHEWS, SC – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In St. Matthews, community members found they needed more mental health support. So they offer a mental health first aid course.
“A few months ago I was attending a mental health first aid course myself and while there I saw the need to bring him into Calhoun County,” the Minister of Health said. St. Matthews Christian Center, Tammie Wideman.
Wideman says that after taking a mental health first aid course, she wanted to share what she learned with others. She says much of what she learned has helped her serve better in her role as case manager at Samaritan House in Orangeburg.
“From the issues I had with one of my residents there, I was able to tell the person on the crisis line that I am a mental health first aider and it let them know that I knew the signs of what I was dealing with and they were able to help us immediately at the shelter,” Wideman said.
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In conjunction with the National Council of Welfare, Orangeburg County Library, Tri County Health Network, and LRADAC, a free course is offered for adults to help certify mental health first aiders in the community.
After the course, people will be able to recognize the symptoms of mental health and addiction issues. They will also learn how to interact with someone in crisis and connect them to help.
“It is very important that we learn to approach people in crisis and to approach people who have mental health problems. »
Class is May 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Matthews Christian Center.
Registration is open online.
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