Submitted by Howie & Marie Field.
Killingworth based Changing Minds Advocacy Group (CMAG) recently sponsored a two-day course for Mental Health First Aid November 22-23, 2019 at the Killingworth Firehouse. Educator Janine Sullivan-Wiley guided 30 students, including Nathaniel B. Field Memorial Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors Cecile Haase, Dawn Earley, and Howie Field through the interactive course that provided participants with the knowledge to grow their recognition of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions, identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental illness or addiction, and increase their confidence and likelihood to help an individual in distress. The curriculum revolved around the Mental Health First Aid 5-Step Action Plan to Assess for risk of suicide or harm, Listen nonjudgmentally, Give reassurance and information, Encourage appropriate professional help, Encourage self-help and other support strategies (ALGEE). For more information about Mental Health First Aid, visit mentalhealthfirstaid.org
CMAG would like to thank the Killingworth Lions Club, HK Youth and Family Services, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Shoreline, Nathaniel B. Field Memorial Foundation, St. Lawrence Church Healing Ministries and the Jared Coffin Memorial Fund for their support.
Photograph by Laura Coffin.
