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College of DuPage Offers New Mental Health First Aid Certificate Program

The new Mental Health First Aid Certificate program at College of DuPage will provide specialized training to people who work with individuals struggling with mental health issues.

Recently approved by the Illinois Community College Board, the program consists of 7 credit hours and can be completed in either one or two semesters. All courses also will be offered online.

Jason Florin, coordinator and assistant professor of the Human Services program, said he was looking for a way to provide training for a unique population without the need for a clinical internship.

"This program is geared toward people in professions other than counseling, such as nursing, EMTs, firefighters and police officers," he said. "When workers in these professions encounter people who are acting unusually, this program will help them have a better context on how to approach them. Police recruits, for example, receive some training in this area, but the new certificate goes further."

While the Mental Health First Aid certificate does not lead to employment, it is meant to fill an important niche identified by local law enforcement, community service providers and Human Services program advisory committee, Florin said.

"This will help people become more comfortable and more confident when encountering a person experiencing a mental health crisis," he said.

For more information, call (630) 942-2043, email florin@cod.edu or visit www.cod.edu/programs/human_services.

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