CLUSTER Supports the community with Mental Health First Aid Training.

In March, CLUSTER provided almost 60 staff and community partners with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Trainees complete a self-paced training before meeting with a group to learn the nuances of working with an individual that is demonstrating signs or having symptoms of mental illness. There is, on average, an 8 –year gap between when a person shows signs or has symptoms of mental health challenges and their final diagnosis. The increased number of Mental Health First Aiders in the community allows for an opportunity to reduce this delay in diagnosis, therefore creating a healthier community for Yonkers.