HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – One in five Americans has a mental illness, but still many are afraid or do not have the tools to seek help.
That’s why Ottawa County wants to train residents on Mental Health First Aid, with a session tomorrow at the Herrick District Library.
Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that teaches how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
Dr. Kylene Krause of the Behavioral Health Clinic says that the stigma around mental health is baffling, leaving many adults without proper care. “We know that one in 10 adults in a given year are going to have sign of depression and are going to suffer,” she told WHTC’s Gary Stevens on the July 26 edition of Talk of the Town. “Yet, we know that 80% don’t come in for help and continue to suffer and let it get worse and worse.”
The Mental Health First Aid training session will be tomorrow from 9:30a.m.-5:30p.m. at the Herrick District Library located at 300 South River Avenue in Holland. Another Ottawa County training session will be held at the Allendale Twp. Library on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m.
