The outline below describes Mental Health Training opportunities being offered to build the capacity of Nebraska Extension. While some of these are flood/blizzard/disaster related, they also support the on-going commitment Nebraska Extension has to assisting Nebraskans through tough times.
Training of Trainers to Prepare Extension Staff to work with Clientele:
REACH/I Can Help is a 90 minute training designed to provide suicide prevention gatekeeper training currently offered through UNL’s Big Red Resilience and Well-Being program. Efforts are in place to initiate training for facilitators and also how to offer through communities.
Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training course designed to give key skills for helping someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as CPR training helps a layperson without medical training assist an individual following a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid training helps a layperson to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health illnesses and addictions.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people.
Opportunities for Extension Staff:
UNL Employee Assistance. Confidential service offered to university employees and their immediate family members at no charge. Consultation and counseling are available to help with personal or work related problems that can affect general well being, work performance, or academic performance. https://hr.unl.edu/eap/
Weekly Zoom Meetings. Thirty minute conversations each Friday from 8-8:30 CT for Learning Child, Food Nutrition and Health, and 4-H staff. The agenda is open to share successes, progress, and needs. These aren’t at all mandatory and will be recorded.
Building Resiliency Together. Everyone faces the stress of adversity and change. For people working in Extension that adversity and change is even more challenging in light of the recent 'bomb' cyclone. We must find a way to adapt to changes that are facing our clientele and at the same time take care of ourselves. Building Resilience Together is a way to improve your resilience by intentionally working on your social support system. Spend an hour a week for 8 weeks thinking and developing ways that will contribute to your resiliency. Contact Extension Educator Emeriti Connie Hancock; for more information: chancock1@unl.edu.
Upcoming MHFA Dates:
• CANCELLED - May 15, 2019 YOUTH, Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension Office
• May 21, 2019 YOUTH, 8:00 am- 5:00pm, Grand Island, Hall County Extension Office
Registration: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-youth-grandisland
• May 23, 2019 YOUTH, 8:00 am- 5:00pm, Norfolk, Region 4 Behavioral Health System, 206 Monroe Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701
Registration: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-youth-norfolk
• May 24, 2019 ADULT8:00 am - 5:00pm, Ogallala, Mid-Plains Community College
Registration: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-adult-ogallala
• May 28, 2019 ADULT 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Lincoln, Lancaster County Extension Office
Registration: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-adult-lincoln
• May 31, 2019 ADULT 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Grand Island, Hall County Extension Office
Registrations: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-adult-grandisland
• June 7, 2019 YOUTH 8:00 am -5:00pm, North Platte, Mid-Plains Community College
Registration: https://go.unl.edu/mhfa-youth-northplatte
Future trainings will be coordinated throughout the year. Contact Susan Harris- Broomfield if you have questions on MHFA training.
Upcoming REACH/I CAN HELP Dates:
For staff:
Reach Overview (15 minutes) Unit Leader Training - TBD
Reach Training of Trainers – Learning Child, Educators/4-H, April 30, 1-4:00 pm
I CAN HELP Training of Trainers (for all Extension Staff) - May 29, 9:00 - 12:00pm, Location: TBA
For Communities:
Sign to host F2F community-based trainings (90 minutes, need at least 20 people). Audience: community members, ages 17 and up.
Training will be conducted by UNL’s Reach Trainers with the support of Nebraska Extension staff who have been trained (if available).