One in five Americans have a mental illness or substance use disorder, yet many are hesitant to seek help or unsure of where to turn. Recognizing mental health and substance use can be challenging, which is why education is vital, explains Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Bridgeway, Stacy Brown:
“We want to educate people as much as we can. We want people to talk about these things openly. If we can decrease the stigma around it, things are really going to improve and people will get help faster. How to recognize signs and symptoms of somebody who may be experiencing something and how to intervene and get them moving toward the help they need.”
Through Mental Health First Aid training with Bridgeway, trained staff offer members of the community an opportunity to understand mental illnesses, support timely intervention, and save lives by being able to recognize the signs and symptoms.