Mental Health First Aid Classes Offered

MHFA training class

(Press Release) West Palm Beach, FL – January 9, 2025 – Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS) has announced the launch of its new Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) community classes. These monthly sessions, open to the public, aim to equip adults with essential skills for recognizing and addressing potential mental health challenges. Mental Health First Aid is a proactive public education program that teaches participants how to identify the signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, provide nonjudgmental support and reassurance, and connect individuals with professional resources and services for further assistance.

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“Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental health – something I believe all of us can benefit from,” said Courtney Marx, Director of MHFA at Alpert JFS. “These community classes are designed to make MHFA accessible to anyone and everyone. If you are a colleague, a friend, a parent, or someone who works or interacts with others, the skills learned in these courses are invaluable.”
 
Previously only offered as group classes for private companies, groups, or organizations, it’s a new initiative to offer these trainings to individuals  in the community at large.
 
Upcoming Community Class Schedule:
The two-day classes will be held at Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service’s headquarters (5841 Corporate Way, Room 104, West Palm Beach, FL) on the following dates:

• January 15 and 16, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• February 11 and 12, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• March 24 and 25, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

 
The training is free and includes options for MHFA for Adults or MHFA for Youth, which focuses on recognizing and addressing mental health challenges in children. Attendees must be 18 or older and participate in the two-day consecutive sessions of the course to receive certification. Advance registration is required and space is limited.
 
How to Register:
To sign up or learn more about Community Classes, contact Courtney Marx at 561-713-1851, [email protected], or visit www.AlpertJFS.org/MHFA.
 
Alpert JFS CEO Marc Hopin emphasized the organization’s dedication to mental health education. “I am proud to say that Alpert JFS is the hub for Mental Health First Aid training in Palm Beach County,” said Hopin. “Our goal is to ensure everyone in Palm Beach County has at least one MHFA-certified person in their close circle of friends, family, and peers. With the addition of the community classes, I know we are getting closer to our goal every day.”
 
Alpert JFS first introduced MHFA in Palm Beach County in 2014and has successfully trained various businesses and organizations, including the City of West Palm Beach, Bethesda Nursing School, Keiser University, Jet Blue, The Breakers, Palm Beach County Bar Association, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, among others. To date, Alpert JFS has trained over 14,500 people via a Mental Health Coalition comprised of dozens of certified instructors.