State provides grant for mental health first aid training

            Training and Treatment Innovations, Inc., of Oxford was awarded a $500,734 Mental Health First Aid grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health to coordinate and deliver free Mental Health First Aid training in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

The program, aimed at eventually reaching groups beyond southeastern Michigan, is an internationally recognized one that teaches people about mental health issues and instructs them in what to do if they encounter someone having a mental health issue or crisis.

The grant program is designed to increase the number of individuals trained in Michigan with the hopes that mental health first aid skills will become a common training statewide, in much the same way as regular CPR and first aid training.

With the grant money, TTI will work with other collaborating and coordinating entities to provide free training to interested parties in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties through September 30. An affiliate of the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center of Clinton Township and Auburn Hills, the Center for Positive Living Supports, began offering the training Jan. 29.

Community groups and organizations such as churches, primary/first responders, teachers, and community programs that work with children and teens, recreation programs and any other groups interested in the training are encouraged to contact TTI to arrange for training to be offered at your site or ours.

Training and Treatment Innovations, a nonprofit, provides a range of services for persons with developmental disabilities, emotional impairments, and mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Services are offered in Genesee, Macomb, Oakland, Jackson, and Saginaw counties.

To arrange for mental health first aid training for your group or organization, call the TTI Training Department at (248) 524-8801 or MORC-affiliate, The Center for Positive Living Supports, at (586) 263-8748.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence/advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.