Greene County ISU Extension is offering a free program to increase awareness of mental health.

Adult Mental Health First Aid is taking place on June 5th from 8am-5pm at the Greene County Extension Office in Jefferson. Human Science Specialist and Family Wellness at ISU Extension Dr. Anthony Santiago is leading the program and says this is a training where attendees will learn the basics of how to identify and help individuals who might be suffering from mental health issues. He talks about why this program lasts an entire day.

“Part of the reason is because we don’t normally teach how to recognize signs and symptoms of various mental illness and disorders. But also we are teaching individuals how to provide support. It’s knowledge as well as skills that we are imparting to our participants.”    

The program also includes continuing education credits for those individuals who need it. The registration deadline is Monday. Interested individuals can contact the Extension Office in Jefferson at 515-386-2138 or stop by to sign up.