{"id":9836,"date":"2021-09-29T18:05:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cancerhopenetwork.org\/?p=9836"},"modified":"2023-05-11T09:27:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T13:27:38","slug":"chn-staff-other-caring-professionals-certified-as-mental-health-first-aiders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cancerhopenetwork.org\/blog\/chn-staff-other-caring-professionals-certified-as-mental-health-first-aiders\/","title":{"rendered":"CHN staff, other caring professionals, certified as Mental Health First Aiders","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Unlike professional members of the caring community, a Mental Health First Aider can be anyone committed to making life a little easier and a little more accepting for people going through dark days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMental Health First Aid was created in 2001 by Betty Kitchener, a nurse specializing in health education, and Anthony Jorm, a mental health literacy professor. Kitchener and Jorm run Mental Health First Aid Australia, a national non-profit health promotion charity focused on training and research.\u201d Today, serving across the globe, MHFA\u2019s goal is simple \u2013 it \u201ctakes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problem\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trainees include teachers and first responders, advocates community members \u2013 even Former First Lady Michell Obama. It\u2019s a 2.5 million strong group that now includes the Cancer Hope Network Staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CHN staff, along with professionals from several other cancer support organizations across the nation did lots of homework and pre-tests, then gathered virtually for an instructor-led training one sunny Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We learned about ALGEE, a step by step action plan for folks in distressing situations, much like first aid\u2019s ABC action plan for people needing CPR. We discussed patient-first language (\u201cmy patient is bi-polar\u201d, not \u201cmy bi-polar patient.\u201d) as part of maintaining an atmosphere of dignity and respect. We also heard great insights from participants (first names used for privacy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it\u2019s happening to you, it often feels like it\u2019s happening ONLY to you,\u201d ~Gail<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes, that best voice to give is the voice of silence.\u201d ~Anthony<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were encouraged to listen with a blank canvas \u2013 letting the speaker paint with their words, listening non-judgmentally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day touched difficult topics \u2013 suicidal ideation (Sometimes, people downplay what they\u2019re going through \u2013 and sometimes we downplay what we\u2019re seeing.), traumatic events (Don\u2019t make promises you can\u2019t keep. Unless you\u2019re in construction, can\u2019t promise someone a new home.), along with the importance of self-care for MHFA\u2019ers being trained.

It was a challenging, thought-provoking day of learning and empowerment. \u201cWe were thrilled to bring access to this critical knowledge to caring professionals,\u201d said Samantha Schrager, CHN\u2019s Director of Programs, who organized the session. \u201cA cancer diagnosis or treatment can be traumatic for the patients and caregivers we serve. Being trained as MHFA professionals will help each of us better assist our clients.\u201d

Interested in receiving MHFA training? Contact CHN Director of Programs Samantha Schrager (sschrager(at)cancerhopenetwork.org) to learn about CHN-coordinated sessions or visit mentalhealthfirstaid.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The training provides tools and strategies to help people facing crisis<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":23,"featured_media":9834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[481,483,482],"post_folder":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCHN staff, other caring professionals, certified as Mental Health First Aiders<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The training provides tools and strategies to help people facing crisis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cancerhopenetwork.org\/blog\/chn-staff-other-caring-professionals-certified-as-mental-health-first-aiders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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