Mental Health First Aid course Saturday

Jana Mathia, Gazette Reporter | Apr 19, 20180

count

Mental Health Graphic

A graphic from The #3 Memorial Fund provides information for those struggling with mental health issues or suicidal thoughts.

The #3 Memorial Fund is offering a Mental Health First Aid course to help people learn the skills to assist a person experiencing a mental health crisis, like panic attack, suicidal thoughts or overdose. The course will be April 21 from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Pullman Regional Hospital, meeting rooms C and D.

The cost is $25, but it will be free to hospital volunteers, auxiliary members, full-time college students and anyone who receives any type of government assistance.

The fund was started the day after the suicide death of WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski. It shares the goal of educating people about mental health issues and suicide and removing the mental health stigma.

“Mental health issues and depression are things that don’t discriminate,” said Shelley Calissendorff, chair of the fund.

The #3 Memorial Fund is made up of Pullman business owners, WSU students and residents who have dealt with mental health issues or suicide with those close to them.

“Mental Health First Aid is nationwide,” Calissendorff noted. The class is taught by certified instructor Katie Nobel.

After The #3 Memorial Fund was formed, Calissendorff went looking for resources to further its goals and came across the Mental Health First Aid course. She learned Nobel was a local instructor as she was preparing to attend a class in Coeur d’Alene.

Nobel teaches the course regularly at WSU.

“We want to make sure everyone knows about it,” Calissendorff said of the class.

Those who attend the eight-hour course will learn the skills to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis “until appropriate professional help arrives,” states the Mental Health First Aid website. Calissendorff likened it to CPR training people receive to help in an emergency until medical personnel arrive;―it is not training to be a counselor.

Those wishing to attend need to register before the event. To receive the waiver for the fee, log on to bit.do/mhfa-ap, then register at www.thenumberthree.bpt.me. The class is limited to 40 people.

To compensate people for giving up eight hours of their Saturday, attendees will receive a #3 Memorial Fund shopping bag with free goodies and coupons worth more than the $25 registration fee. Free goodies include chocolate from the Moscow Co-op and coupons for free breakfast, movie tickets, burritos and more from area businesses.

Everyone who registers in advance will also be entered to win a free night at the Pullman Marriott Hotel with free breakfast and basket of Coug gear.

“Mental Health First Aiders learn a single five-step strategy.

More information is available through The #3 Memorial Fund Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NumberThreeMemorialFund.