Improve Norwich Now partners with community to offer free mental health first aid course
NORWICH – After noticing a need for mental health education in our community, several local organizations have teamed up with Improve Norwich Now to provide assistance at no cost to participants.
According to Improve Norwich Now Co-Founder Jen Westervelt, the free course will teach participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, and substance abuse orders.
Westervelt said the course will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, at the CV Free Church, located at 4299 State Highway 23 in Norwich.
Westervelt added this course will be a requirement for anyone seeking to become a mentor with Improve Norwich Now. She added that mentoring positions for those in need are now available, including positions in job or skill advancement opportunity, housing, financial sense, family support, child care, substance abuse, mental health, and more.
“We’re really excited to be able to partner with groups in our community to get more low cost or free programs available in our area,” said Westervelt. “Those who are interested in using their knowledge and experience to better their community are welcome to reach out to us for more information regarding mentoring opportunities.”
She said for anyone interested in taking this course, it can be applied to people of all ages, not just youths.
“This training isn’t just for helping youths,” said Westervelt. “This can be applied to a person of any age, but focuses on individuals ages 12 to 18.”
According to Westervelt, this free educational seminar was made possible thanks to the collaboration of several local organizations.
“None of this would have been possible without the generous support of several organizations including UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital and Chenango Health Network,” said Westervelt. “Chris Paul and Jamie Hagenbuch have worked to make a course that is valued at $170 per participant, free for all attendees, in order to provide a great educational opportunity to their community.”
Westervelt added that participants will learn to recognize and support individuals with symptoms of a mental illness or an emotional crisis by applying a five-step plan.
She said the plan includes assessing for risk of suicide or harm, listening non-judgmentally, giving reassurance and information, encouraging appropriate professional help, and encourage self-help and other support strategies.
She added that other free educational seminars will be available at later dates, including, "Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities," from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 20, at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus.
"Bridges Out of Poverty uses the lens of economic class and provides concrete tools and strategies for a community to alleviate poverty," said Westervelt. "Participants will review poverty research, examine a theory of change, and analyze poverty through the prism of the hidden rules of class, resources, family structure, and language."
"Throughout the workshop, participants will receive specific strategies for improving outcomes, but the focus of the workshop is to provide a broad overview of concepts."
The Bridges Out of Poverty workshop is sponsored by: Chenango Health Network, HealtheConnections PHIP, Improve Norwich Now and Morrisville State College.
For those who wish to learn more about being an Improve Norwich Now mentor, or want to learn more about the Youth Mental Health First Aid seminar, please visit improvenorwichnow.org/mentoring/ or email improvenorwichnow@gmail.com for more information.
According to Improve Norwich Now Co-Founder Jen Westervelt, the free course will teach participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, and substance abuse orders.
Westervelt said the course will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, at the CV Free Church, located at 4299 State Highway 23 in Norwich.
Westervelt added this course will be a requirement for anyone seeking to become a mentor with Improve Norwich Now. She added that mentoring positions for those in need are now available, including positions in job or skill advancement opportunity, housing, financial sense, family support, child care, substance abuse, mental health, and more.
“We’re really excited to be able to partner with groups in our community to get more low cost or free programs available in our area,” said Westervelt. “Those who are interested in using their knowledge and experience to better their community are welcome to reach out to us for more information regarding mentoring opportunities.”
She said for anyone interested in taking this course, it can be applied to people of all ages, not just youths.
“This training isn’t just for helping youths,” said Westervelt. “This can be applied to a person of any age, but focuses on individuals ages 12 to 18.”
According to Westervelt, this free educational seminar was made possible thanks to the collaboration of several local organizations.
“None of this would have been possible without the generous support of several organizations including UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital and Chenango Health Network,” said Westervelt. “Chris Paul and Jamie Hagenbuch have worked to make a course that is valued at $170 per participant, free for all attendees, in order to provide a great educational opportunity to their community.”
Westervelt added that participants will learn to recognize and support individuals with symptoms of a mental illness or an emotional crisis by applying a five-step plan.
She said the plan includes assessing for risk of suicide or harm, listening non-judgmentally, giving reassurance and information, encouraging appropriate professional help, and encourage self-help and other support strategies.
She added that other free educational seminars will be available at later dates, including, "Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities," from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 20, at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus.
"Bridges Out of Poverty uses the lens of economic class and provides concrete tools and strategies for a community to alleviate poverty," said Westervelt. "Participants will review poverty research, examine a theory of change, and analyze poverty through the prism of the hidden rules of class, resources, family structure, and language."
"Throughout the workshop, participants will receive specific strategies for improving outcomes, but the focus of the workshop is to provide a broad overview of concepts."
The Bridges Out of Poverty workshop is sponsored by: Chenango Health Network, HealtheConnections PHIP, Improve Norwich Now and Morrisville State College.
For those who wish to learn more about being an Improve Norwich Now mentor, or want to learn more about the Youth Mental Health First Aid seminar, please visit improvenorwichnow.org/mentoring/ or email improvenorwichnow@gmail.com for more information.
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