Carpino Trains in Mental Health First Aid at State Capitol

HARTFORD- State Rep. Christie Carpino (Cromwell & Portland) along with legislative colleagues and staff members, participated in a two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and certification program at the State Capitol in better educate herself on the mental health needs in her community.

Mental Health First Aid is an interactive course that presents an overview of mental illness in the United States. The course illustrates signs of mental health problems, risk factors and common treatments. Those who take the course to certify as Mental Health First Aiders also learn a 5-step action plan to help someone in crisis. The course teaches how to help connect those in crisis with appropriate professional, peer and self-help care.

“As a legislator and state official, it is important to be educated on the issues of Mental Health and how to help. This MHFA training program is important to understanding how to help those in a mental health crisis. The ability to have primary care professionals, families, school personnel and community members, identify and understand students in crisis will hopefully ensure these young people receive the appropriate treatment they need. Early detection is vital to effective treatment,” said Rep. Carpino, a member of the legislature’s Education & Judiciary committees.

The training, offered by the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction stems from the legislation passed in 2013. The legislation called for the state’s mental health and education commissioners to administer a mental health first aid training program, and for people serving as safe school climate coordinators to receive the training.

Additional information on the Mental Health First Aid training can be found at: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/program_overview/