Do you know what you would do if a friend or colleague had a panic attack in your presence? When someone says first aid, most may imagine CPR or bandaging a wound. First Aid can also apply to mental health. This question, and others, were answered by training facilitators at the March Mental Health First Aid training, held here at Peter Paul.

Through a community survey, East End residents expressed the need for training in mental health awareness and management. To meet this need, our Richmond Promise Neighborhood (RPN) program identified the Mental Health First Aid training through NREEP as a tool for meeting this community need. NREEP’s program is intended to expand participants’ awareness of mental health and transform their perceptions of mental health in their community. Chimere Miles, an East End community member and veteran RPN volunteer, and Jacquelyn Avent of RBHA, facilitated the training.

The two-day March training was offered to a mix of residents and city employees. Participants covered assessing risk of suicide, listening nonjudgmentally, giving reassurance and information, encouraging appropriate professional help, and encouraging self-help & other support strategies.

Peter Paul hopes to offer these trainings throughout the year as just one way of responding to our neighbors’ request for relevant resources. Our next training is scheduled for April and is free of charge. If you have questions about this training or would like to participate, please contact Adrienne Johnson ajohnson@peterpauldevcenter.org