You are helping people respond to Mental Health Emergencies

First aid for the mind is just as important as first aid for the body.

That is the lesson Don Marentette, Director of First Aid Programs at the Canadian Red Cross wants people to know.

“The number of people suffering from high stress levels, burnout and suicidal thoughts is at an all-time high in areas such as workplaces, schools, indigenous communities and among professional responders,” said Marentette.

The Red Cross Psychological First Aid course is a resiliency building wellness program that helps people support themselves and others when coping with the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief.

“A couple years ago, you would have been told to suck it up. Psychological First Aid allows for a holistic approach to health, where individuals learn how to care for themselves and others’ psychosocial wellness,” he said.

The program is officially launching in August. Forty-two instructors have already been trained in Saskatchewan and over 90 people in the province have taken the course during the soft launch.

Your support has helped the Red Cross to develop and implement this much-needed program. Thank you.


Don Marentette, Director of First Aid Programs at the Canadian Red Cross
 


Saskatchewan 2018-2019 Report Back to Communities