Private training sessions now offered for groups of 10 people or more
Tampa, Fla. (March 15, 2021) – The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay is expanding the ways that people can take part in its “Mental Health First Aid” nationally certified training course. Groups of 10 people or more can now schedule a private session to learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of addictions and mental illness in their friends, neighbors, coworkers and colleagues.
One in five American adults experience a mental health challenge within any given year. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified awareness of mental health as social isolation, loneliness, worry and stress have negatively impacted many Americans.
Nonprofit organizations, medical and legal practices, faith-based organizations, schools and businesses have already scheduled private group sessions on Mental Health First Aid. The Community Foundation is now making the option to schedule a private group session available for any group in the Tampa Bay region.
“As the need has increased, we’ve expanded the ways that we’re working to bring mental health resources to our community,” said Marlene Spalten, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.
The Community Foundation has partnered with St. Petersburg College, Humana Foundation and Love IV Lawrence, a Community Foundation-hosted fund that supports organizations making positive changes around mental health, to train 5,000 Tampa Bay residents in Mental Health First Aid by 2023. The first classes started in September 2020, and hundreds of people have already been trained by 25 instructors on how to help others who are experiencing a mental health challenge.
Anyone can register for the fully virtual 8-hour course for only $125. The Community Foundation is covering the registration fee for people who work in roles where they regularly have contact or communication with many people. They have an opportunity to have a positive impact on thousands of lives after receiving this training.
People who work in the following types of settings in Tampa Bay can qualify for the registration fee to be waived:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Education institutions
- Faith communities
- Public service organizations
To schedule a group training for 10-30 people, contact Yvonne Williams at 727-302-6436 or Williams.Yvonne@spcollege.edu.
Learn more about Mental Health First Aid on the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay’s website: https://cftampabay.org/mentalhealth/.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For 30 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award nearly $250 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
###
