NORWICH – Chenango Health Network will offer Mental Health First Aid training in Norwich from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m on Wednesday, January 30 as part of a national initiative to increase mental health literacy.

The training will help attendees learn to recognize if a friend, family member, employee, customer or colleague is struggling with a mental health or substance use disorder, and provide a five step action plan that guides trainees through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support. It’s free to the public to attend.

The class will take place in the Norwich Eaton Center’s Chenango Conference Room on the fourth floor, and individuals interested in registering can contact Christine Paul or Jamie Hagenbuch at Chenango Health Network by calling (607) 337-4128 or emailing chris@chenangohealth.org or jamie@chenangohealth.org.

A press release for the class states, “Just as CPR helps even those without clinical training assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental health crisis.”