By Michaelle Bond STAFF WRITER
Counselors at an after-school homework program in Coates-ville say that in two instances, they heard young people discussing suicide and were able to intervene to prevent tragedies.
They used techniques they had learned recently in a program called Mental Health First Aid.
More than 500,000 people nationwide have completed the training, and over 900 of those are teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers, police officers, high school students, and community members in Chester County.
The National Council for Behavioral Health launched a campaign this month to train one million people in its program. It wants to make the training as common as CPR or routine first aid.
Congress earmarked $15 million in December for Mental Health First Aid.
Tracy Behringer, amental health first-aid instructor who works for Chester County, said she uses her training daily and it helps with everyday struggles as well as larger crises.
“I tell each class, ‘Little by little, we’re changing the world,’ ” Behringer said. “And I believe that.”
Versions of the training are tailored to provide help to different age groups.
The Pennsylvania Youth Survey in 2011 and 2013 showed high depression rates among Coatesville-area youths compared with those in the rest of Chester County and the state.
So the Brandywine Health Foundation, a nonprofit based in Coatesville, decided to bring Youth Mental Health First Aid to the Coatesville area.
Training in the county began in summer 2014.
The foundation and county officials celebrated the progress of the training program Wednesday.
The eight-hour training teaches the mnemonic “ALGEE”: Assess for risk of suicide or harm. Listen nonjudgmentally. Give reassurance and information. Encourage appropriate professional help. Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
These tactics apply in various situations, such as when a person experiences a traumatic event, has a panic attack, or experiences hallucinations.
Linda Adams, dean of the College of Health Sciences at West Chester University, said results show improvements in how people think about mental health after they complete the training.
Sgt. Steven Parkinson of the Caln Township Police Department has done the training and wants more officers to do the same.
“On a daily basis, we’re presented with people dealing with mental illness,” he said. “Every day, this training will be beneficial.” mbond@philly.com
610-313-8207 @MichaelleBond