A one-day class teaching how to recognize and respond to mental health challenges will be offered for free in Canandaigua next month.
UR Medicine Thompson Health announced the Mental Health First Aid class will run from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Wood Library, located at 134 N. Main St.
The course was created by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and is intended for community members who want to better understand mental health and substance use issues in adults.
Although the class has been held for Thompson Health staff multiple times, this will be only the second time it is open to the general public—and the first time this year.
“Wellness Coordinator Kristen Seyfried said the interest in the class reflects the importance of conversations about mental health.” She cited a statistic from the National Alliance for Mental Illness: one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness.
“I think everyone sees the need for a course like this,” Seyfried said. “Although this can help them with their job, the great thing about Mental Health First Aid is that it can also be used in all aspects of a person’s life, not just at work.”
Those interested should register in advance, as space is limited. To sign up, call 585-396-6111 or email [email protected].
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].