VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services Diocese of Camden recently gathered its ministry leaders and staff for a course on Mental Health First Aid, or MHFA.
Mental Health First Aid is an early-intervention program that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges.
Leaders and staff from VITALity’s Hospital Chaplaincy, Senior Ministries, Care Coordination, Ministry with Deaf and Disabilities, and Resource and Referral Helpline gathered at the Blessed Carlo Acutis retreat center, Cherry Hill. Course training was presented by Alexus Fussell, director of grant development and communications at Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University.
Recognizing the increased need for mental health awareness in the community, VITALity’s executive director, Nicole Keefer, sought out Rowan University’s grant-funded program after learning that diocesan housing staff had completed the training this past summer. She said she felt it was valuable for their team.
The goal of MHFA training is to help people learn how to recognize and appropriately respond when they encounter individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse challenges. The training does not teach people how to diagnose or treat mental health or substance abuse issues, but rather educates people on how to reduce stigma, offer a non-judgmental, listening ear, and share some resources that may be appropriate for these individuals to seek out.
As VITALity extends outreach into all areas of the Diocese and frequently helps those encountering some of these challenges, it is essential that its staff be given tools to help navigate often-difficult conversations and encounters, Keefer said.
“This training teaches our VITALity ministry staff helpful tools to bring awareness to an epidemic of mental health disease in our community,” she said. “Given the increased incidence of mental health challenges in the community, it’s important that awareness is brought not only to physical health but also mental health.”
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