LYNNFIELD — A Healthy Lynnfield is teaming up with Lynnfield Rotary to offer a certification program that is open to community members and District 7390 Rotarians in February.

The program is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which teaches how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. The program will be held across two sessions: Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 from 5-9 p.m. at the Meeting House. Light refreshments will be served.

“Register at www.aheathylynnfield.org by Jan. 15, 2024, to save your spot as space is limited,” said Substance Use Prevention Coordinator Peg Sallade, who is also a member of Lynnfield Rotary.

According to the National Institute on Mental Health, nearly one in five people in the U.S. lives with a mental illness and nearly 130 people die every day from suicide. The program reviews:

  • Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges;
  • Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges;
  • How to interact with a person in crisis;
  • How to connect a person with help;
  • Expanded content on trauma, substance use and self-care.

In addition, participants will learn how to assess for risk of suicide or harm, listen nonjudgmentally, give reassurance and information, and encourage appropriate professional help and other support strategies.

“Partnering with Lynnfield Rotary for this effort is a natural collaboration,” said Sallade.  “Rotary International and, in turn, Rotary District 7930 has taken on addressing the mental health crisis.”

Lynnfield Rotary Co-President Christine Travers agreed.

“Mental health is an area that has been neglected by many people for too long because of the stigma associated with it,” said Travers.  “The involvement of Rotary clubs across the nation joining together to address this theme will gradually reduce the stigma, and more and more people will begin to be comfortable around the issue,” says Travers.

District 7930 Governor Lori Karas concurred with Sallade and Travers’ viewpoints.

“This year’s Rotary International theme on promoting mental wellness is all about creating hope in the world,” said Karas. “The pandemic left us all feeling the heavy burden of loss and disconnection. We can all relate to this struggle. The good news is that even in times of crisis and adversity, there’s always hope.”

A Mental Health First Aid program teaches skills to understand what others struggling with mental health challenges may be going through, and most importantly, how to respond with kindness and compassion.

This program offered in Lynnfield will be facilitated by A Healthy Lynnfield’s North Reading colleagues, Lora Mirana, LMHC, and Lt. Derek Howe of the North Reading Police Department. Both are trained to provide this national certification program.  Attendance at both sessions is required for people to get their two-year MHFA Certificate from the National Council on Mental Well-being.