First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Rochester, is hosting a free, all-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training program on Monday, November 2. The training, taking place in Fellowship Hall from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., will be led by Amity LoVette Mulrenin, a certified MHFA instructor and manager of spiritual care at Henry Ford Hospital, who is donating her time to benefit the community. 

Adults, 18 years and older, looking to strengthen their skills in recognizing and responding to mental health challenges and crises in their communities, social networks, and workplaces, will benefit from this Mental Health First Aid training program. Mental Health First Aid is a public education program managed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that helps learners identify signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge in adults, understand the effects of mental health challenges on an adult’s life, and safely respond to an adult experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. 

Training materials, lunch, and snacks are generously sponsored by the Huizenga Fund, an endowed fund of First Congregational Church. 

Registration, limited to 30 participants, is now open. Participants must complete pre-work prior to training. Upon training completion, participants must take a post-test online via the MHFA portal to receive their downloadable certificate.

For more information and to register, please contact Amity at alovett2@hfhs.org

About First Congregational Church, UCC, Rochester

Founded in 1827, First Congregational Church of Rochester is an open and affirming local church of the United Church of Christ. We welcome all in love, as Jesus Christ welcomes us all. We are an inclusive community that embraces all people, regardless of race, ethnic background, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, social or economic situation, marital or family status, biblical interpretation, or political persuasion. Worship services are typically Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. and are also available online via YouTube and Facebook. Childcare is available and children are always welcome to remain in worship in our Pray Ground for structured play and coloring, as we value their presence. A “wiggle room” is also available. The church is located at 1315 N. Pine Street, Rochester. For more information, visit, http://fccrochester.org/.

About the Huizenga Fund

The Huizenga Fund, established in 2005, is an endowed fund of First Congregational Church in Rochester, Michigan. Proceeds from the endowment, in the form of community grants, support various community service programs for the greater Rochester area including food and shelter programs, community activities, home and neighborhood improvements. To learn more about the Huizenga Fund, please contact huizengafund@gmail.com.

About the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of more than 3,400 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 10 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure equitable access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, we have trained more than 3 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

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