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Library receives funds for mental-health first-aid training
YOUNGSTOWN
The branch libraries of the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County are places where Mahoning Valley residents can learn yoga, gain computer skills, donate blood and practice meditation.
They will soon become places that connect patrons with mental-health resources.
With the help of a grant through the Ohio Library Services and Technology Act program, the library system is collaborating with Alta Care Group and the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board to conduct mental-health first-aid trainings at local libraries.
“Most people when they are confronted with someone with a mental illness don’t know it’s a mental illness, and they don’t know how to respond. ... They may become frustrated or angry or just avoid the person,” said Alta CEO Joseph Shorokey.
Mental-health first-aid training gives lay people the tools for recognizing signs of mental illness and responding appropriately.
Two trainings will address adult mental health, and the other two will focus on youth mental health.
The latter is uniquely crucial because adults often write off signs of youth mental-health disorders and trauma as bad behavior.
“Our job is to try to understand what is the function of that behavior. Behavior is purposeful. It doesn’t occur in a vacuum,” Shorokey said.
The trainings are open to the public. Shorokey said the material will benefit professionals who work with at-risk populations such as teachers, probation officers, police officers and clergy.
Library employees are a critical addition to that list.
“We see a lot of homeless people. We see a lot of people who live in poverty. This is their safe space. We want that. We want them to have a safe space. We also want our staff to be equipped to deal with the issues that come with that,” said Josephine Nolfi, former library youth services and programming director.
Library staff has voiced concern about patrons who might be struggling with mental illness and questioned how to be most helpful, said Janet Loew, the library’s communications director.
The training will provide tools for these interactions.
“The first thing they would do is not get upset with the person for the way they are relating to them,” Nolfi said.
Shorokey explained the training aims to teach people to patiently respond without judgment. He likens mental-health first aid to “human compassion training.”
“Maybe it takes a professional to treat [mental-health issues], but it doesn’t take a professional to look beyond the cover and see that there may be something else going on here,” Shorokey said.