Millions of people with mental illnesses do not receive treatment due to stigma, lack of information, costs, and many other factors. In Christian communities, the stigma is even greater. A major goal of the Christian Mental Health Initiative (CMHI) is to increase mental health literacy in the church. Though mental and spiritual health are similar, we must learn about their differences to effectively achieve the wellness we seek.
This is why, on January 21st, 2023, CMHI hosted a virtual Mental Health First Aid training in collaboration with members and leaders of Christ Church of Philadelphia. Amazingly, CMHI has now hosted FIVE Mental Health First Aid trainings since we started!
Thanks to teachings from instructor Tamara Brown, twelve people in the Greater Philadelphia Area joined the virtual training. These attendees dedicated eight hours towards becoming certified Mental Health First Aiders. This certification is valid for three years!
Mental Health First Aid
What is Mental Health First Aid exactly?
Mental Health First Aid is a National Council for Mental Wellbeing program. The following is an expert from the organization’s website to describe the aims and goals of the program.
Mental Health First Aid for Adults teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.
Christian Mental Health Initiative Sponsored Training
It was an absolute pleasure to host this training. We connected with people from several of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods! The attendees work across varying industries, such as mental health facilities, church ministry, and middle school education. We now have more people prepared to respond to the mental health needs of our youth. Look at God!
Future CMHI Events
The Christian Mental Health Initiative volunteer team is just getting started!
This year, we aim to continue connecting with communities to impact mental well-being in the church.
We are planning a virtual mental health symposium for May 2023 to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month and the first anniversary of CMHI!
The CMHI team encourages you to join our mailing list to receive updates about future mental health training opportunities and events.
