Addressing the mental health and substance use challenges in our communities takes a village – and community members and leaders at organizations across Central Washington have the power to make a big impact.
That’s why we offer community education trainings in the communities we serve. Training topics include stress management, vicarious trauma and preventing compassion fatigue, situational awareness and de-escalating skills, managing change, coping with grief and loss, promoting wellness and recovery, among others. We have trainers who are certified to provide courses, including Mental Health First Aid trainings for both adults and for community members who work with youth. This full-day training is designed to empower community members, educators, neighbors, family members, and others to recognize the signs of mental health challenges, including suicide risk, and take appropriate action to help those in crisis. and SAFE: Our Suicide Awareness for Everyone (SAFE) training focuses specifically on suicide prevention and the skills individuals need to intervene in a suicidal crisis.
In addition to benefiting individuals, these courses have proven especially valuable to organizations seeking to strengthen the mental health resources provided to their teams. Recently, Southeast Washington Aging & Long Term Care, an in-home care provider supporting seniors and disabled adults, hosted Mental Health First Aid and Situational Awareness and De-escalation Skills trainings for its employees.
“By providing our staff with situational awareness training, they felt heard and valued,” said Corrie Blythe, assistant director of SE WA ALTC. “We responded to their feedback, and with the help of Comprehensive Healthcare, we started impactful conversations that showed them they’re not alone and equipped them with tools to feel safe and confident in any interaction.”
The Mental Health First Aid training provides participants with the knowledge and skills to spot warning signs of mental health crises and suicide risk, engage in conversations with those who may be struggling, and provide the support needed to keep them safe until they can get formal care.
“We reached out to Comprehensive Healthcare following the loss of a team member. We knew that, in addition to offering immediate support to our staff, we needed to ensure our supervisors were confident and comfortable in discussing mental health with their teams and responding to mental health-related concerns,” said Mayling Chin, benefits and compensation manager at Yakima County. “Those who participated in the Mental Health First Aid training remarked on how positive the experience was, and they shared they would like to offer it to their employees.”
Our community education courses are available to businesses, schools, organizations, governmental agencies, and nonprofits. We also have a pool of trained staff who can conduct Critical Incident Stress Debriefings to support individuals and organizations who have experienced a workplace or community trauma. Together, we can reduce stigma and strengthen the network of resources available to those in need. For a full list of the courses we offer and to sign up, visit our website , send an email to commed@comphc.org, or give us a call at (509) 575-4084.
