BREMERTON — Olympic College will be able to offer free Mental Health First Aid training to up to 300 people with a $12,000 grant from the Bainbridge Community Foundation.
The money will pay to certify an Olympic College faculty member as a Mental Health First Aid instructor. The training teaches people to recognize signs of mental health and substance use problems and connect people with help. It does not train them to diagnose or provide therapy.
The college has offered the program with grant support since 2019, serving about 60 participants a quarter, the college said.
“This funding will help us expand access to valuable mental health training and strengthen our campus community’s ability to recognize when someone may need support,” said Olympic College President Chantae Recasner.
Debbie Kuffel, the foundation’s program and finance officer, said mental health support was identified as a priority in the foundation’s annual nonprofit survey.
The next training session is Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Bremerton campus. More information is at olympic.edu/student-life-support/well-being-health-promotion.
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