Knowing what to do if you come across someone in need of mental health services will be the objective of a course being offered through the Marion County Coalition for Suicide Prevention later this month.

An eight-hour course in Mental Health First Aid will be taught on Friday, February 22nd starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Marion County Public Health Department; it’s open to anyone interested in learning to spot the initial signs of mental distress and take the steps necessary to get the person affected the help they need.

Stacy Haas from the Public Health Department tells KNIA/KRLS News the goal is to get beyond some of the negative perceptions people may have about persons with a mental health concern, and to take the steps necessary to get them help.

“What you would think of as medical first aid, kind of that initial action that you take until maybe first responders are available, that’s kind of the approach with mental health first aid,” Haas says. “Is really looking at that help that we can give an individual until we can help them get  professional help…we know that sometimes that first aid for mental health, sometimes that initial response may be you.”

Haas says the course will deal with some difficult subjects, but everything covered is designed to give those taking the class a better perspective on what the person they find themselves helping may be going through.

Anyone interested in enrolling in the course can contact Haas at 641-828-2238.