The Las Cruces and Tucson staffs recently completed training Mental Health First Aid. Six Las Cruces staff members attended Mental Health First Aid training at the Doña Ana County Government Center. “With the growing number of mental health cases at our centers it’s imperative that staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of those in mental distress and how to take action to assist them,” said Director Sam Campos. By attending the training, sponsored by the local health and human services agency, the staff became certified in providing the specialized branch of First Aid to those experiencing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorders. From left are Resident Monitor Jose Quinones, Social Services Coordinator Melissa Patino, and Monitors Tina Vargas, Roxanne Padilla, Lauren Isaacson and Eva Baca. At the Tucson facility staff and U.S. Probation Officers participated in a separate 8-hour training session on Mental Health First Aid provided by the Jim Kirk and Kate Lawson with the National Council for Behavioral Health. The training provided detailed information regarding Suicide Prevention and Intervention Techniques along with Self-Mutilation and Harm Characteristics. The instructors provided in-depth knowledge on identifying and addressing a variety of common mental health concerns of residents.
