READING — Chief David Clark is pleased to share that the Reading Police Department will be hosting Mental Health First Aid Training for residents and community members starting next month.
Reading Police Department will host the four-week Mental Health First Aid training for adults on Tuesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 25, and March 4, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. Training will be held at Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave.
This groundbreaking skills-based course gives individuals the tools to identify, understand, and respond to someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or struggling with substance misuse, and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
“As a mental health counselor and addiction specialist, I meet a lot of people facing mental health challenges,” said Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support, Public Safety Clinician Taunya Jarzyniecki, who will serve as the instructor for the upcoming course. “The course is a great opportunity to learn what is most helpful when someone you care about is impacted by mental health concerns.”
The training courses are being held in response to the nation’s mental health crisis. Symptoms of mental health and substance misuse can be difficult to detect. Friends and family members may find it hard to know when and how to step in. According to the Centers for Disease Control, at least one in five Americans experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2023. In 2024, Reading Police responded to 406 mental health calls, 59 substance misuse calls, and 135 alcohol-related concerns.
To register for the course, click here.
“We have built a strong training program in Reading. Since 2014, the coalition has certified more than 1,000 teens and adults in Reading, as Mental Health First Aiders,” said Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support, MPH Director Erica Maillet. “Participants have responded positively and commented on how useful the course is to their everyday life.”
Mental Health First Aid has become a nationally recognized movement in the United States.
“These trainings will allow residents and community members to learn how to assist and support individuals, family members, or friends who are experiencing a mental health crisis,” said Chief Clark. “Being there for each other is an important part of what it means to be a member of the Reading community.”
To learn more about Mental Health First Aid USA, visit MHFA.org
For additional questions about the course, contact Public Safety Clinician Taunya L. Jarzyniecki, LMHC, LADC-1, at tjarzyniecki@readingma.gov
Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support is Part of a National Initiative to Increase Mental Health Literacy.
