The West Alabama Mental Health Center (WAMHC) will host two ‘Mental Health First Aid’ training sessions, one for adults and one for youth.

The adult training class, which is open to the general public, first responders, educators, local leaders and pastors, will take place Monday, Aug. 12. Registration deadline is Aug. 8.

The youth training class will take place Monday, Aug. 19. Registration deadline is Aug. 14.

Both classes will take place at the WAMHC office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mental health problems – such as depression, anxiety, impulse control and misuse of alcohol and other drugs – are shockingly common in the United States. In fact, more than one in four American adults will have a mental health problem in a year.

The National Council on Community Behavioral Healthcare has begun working with communities throughout the nation, including West Alabama Mental Health Center to implement Mental Health First Aid to arm the public with skills to help individuals who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

The clinical and qualitative evidence behind the program demonstrates that it helps the public better identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness, thus improving outcomes for individuals experiencing these illnesses. For more information on Mental Health First Aid, visit www.thenationalcouncil.org.

West Alabama Mental Health Center (WAMHC) is a regional mental health center located in the Black Belt area of West Alabama serving Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, and Sumter counties. WAMHC is a comprehensive community mental health center providing services to people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse and children with serious emotional disorders. The prevention program helps at-risk and other students stay off drugs and in school. The agency also works with many community agencies to bridge the gap between services.