Melrose Plans Free Mental Health First Aid Courses

MELROSE, MA — The city of Melrose will offer a series of free youth and adult mental health first aid training courses beginning in February at the Milano Center in town, officials announced last week.

The program is part of a mission from Mayor Paul Brodeur that officials last week said aims to “equitably provide residents with the opportunity to develop skills to better support neighbors, friends, and loved ones experiencing emotional distress."

Upcoming courses will operate through Mental Health First Aid, a national program created by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

The courses are structured to teach participants how to provide initial support to someone who is struggling. The courses will also teach self-care strategies while helping participants learn how to connect individuals in need with appropriate additional support resources.

Courses are open to anyone living or working in Melrose aged 18 and older. Community members can sign up for any of the four planned courses over the coming weeks, though officials have asked individuals to only sign up for one course per-person.

Participants who complete a course will become certified in either Youth Mental Health First Aid or Adult Mental Health First Aid.

“I’m proud to bring awareness to the increased need for social and mental health support for our residents and create programming like these courses for our community members,” Brodeur said in a recent statement. “I am hopeful these courses will help our community learn how to better support the different people in our lives—from our loved ones to those we pass on the street—during times of emotional or psychological distress.”

Brodeur previously designated 2022 as a year of “Community Health and Wellness” in Melrose. He said last week that the move aimed to “bring awareness to the increased need for social and mental health support for our residents.” He said the designation additionally served to highlight a need to create programming like this year’s planned free mental health first aid courses.

“I’m hopeful these courses will help our community learn how to better support the different people in our lives or those we pass on the street, during times of emotional or psychological distress,” Brodeur said.

The first of Melrose’s upcoming adult mental health first aid courses will begin on Feb. 4. The registration deadline is Jan. 25. A second adult mental health first aid course will kick off on March 6. Youth mental health first aid courses will begin on March 11 and 13.

See registration information including later registration deadlines as well as specific course dates and times here.

Melrose’s free mental health first aid programming is offered in partnership with Mayor Paul Brodeur, the Melrose Recreation Department, the Melrose Health & Human Services Department, the Melrose Health & Wellness Coalition, the National Council of Mental Wellbeing, the Boys & Girls Club of Stoneham & Wakefield, Healthy Aging Physical Therapy and Tufts Medicine – Melrose Wakefield Healthcare.

Anyone with questions can contact the Melrose Recreation Department by phone at 781-979-4179 or by email at [email protected].