Congratulations to the first class of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainings who, after passing the final exam, were awarded completion certificates. Brenda Fisher, Department Chair of Visual and Performing Arts, and Kae Jensen, Dean of Math and Science, facilitated this first course, Thursday, Feb. 24, and were excited to engage with the CWI community on this important topic.
As noted in the recent article, Mental Health First Aid Training Comes to CWI, 15 employees have been trained as trainers and will be offering MHFA courses for faculty and staff throughout spring semester and beyond. Training consists of online modules completed in advance of the training date and either a Zoom or in-person meeting to practice the action plan. Non-judgmental listening, empowering people to promote help-seeking skills, and reducing stigma around mental health challenges are additional skills gained. Those who complete the training enter a community of helpers at CWI.
A special thank you to this first group, seen in the Zoom Immersive View screenshot, for helping the College’s MHFA trainers further develop their skills in presenting the content.
“The exit tickets we got back confirmed this info is really helpful and appreciated,” said Fisher reflecting on the training. “Overall, I’m really excited to have shared it and gotten the ball rolling at CWI.”
Jensen saw the need for this training first-hand recently for a student experiencing a panic attack on campus. While the team of staff and faculty who supported the student did a great job, the experience was stressful for all.
“With more of our team trained in MHFA, we can get people help faster and with greater confidence,” she said.
