Kane Health Department offers free online training May 30

As part of its Connect with Kane: Learn, Grow, Thrive initiative, the Kane County Health Department is offering a free online training event, “Breaking the Stigma: Understanding Mental Health” from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, May 30.

“It’s training for Mental Health Awareness Month,” said Community Health Director Kim Peterson. “It’s designed to increase understanding of mental health, reducing stigma and provide practical tools to support mental wellbeing.”

Vanessa Hernandez, a licensed social worker and certified alcohol and drug counselor, will be the presenter.

Register online at us06web.zoom.us.

“The objectives of the training are to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges; develop effective communication strategies to support individuals in distress; and identify resources and coping strategies for promoting mental wellness,” Peterson said.

Raising awareness also promotes using different language to refer to people who are struggling.

“That’s part of the stigma regarding mental health,” Peterson said. “This training will talk about person-first language. Instead of like, ‘addict,’ we say ‘a person struggling with substance abuse.’ Because you’re a person first, and then your issues are issues that you have. Your issues don’t define you.”

Zoom caps the Health Department’s monthly trainings at 200, but there’s usually a 10% drop off on the day-of, so if people don’t get registered right away, they should check back on May 30, Peterson said.

“If you are interested in helping to spread Mental Health Awareness, this training is a great way to learn more about the ... objectives,” Peterson said.

While it is open to anyone, the training will count as continuing education for those with licenses.

“What is good mental health, I think, is different for everyone. It’s a state of wellbeing where an individual can cope with life’s challenges, and engage in healthy habits, function productively, maintain positive relationships, feel positive about themselves,” Peterson said. “We need to care for our loved ones when they through a challenge or a trauma.”

Among the positive coping skills people could embrace include regular sleep, regular exercise, immersing in favorite hobbies – getting off the phone – and fostering and nurturing relationships.

“Isolation contributes to poor mental health,” Peterson said. “That’s why we were trying to normalize these challenges and normalize people talking about it and give each other support and tips - and that everyone needs help at some point.”

Every month, Kane County hosts trainings on different themes—this is for Mental Health Awareness Month.

This particular training is part of the recently launched campaign, “Connect with Kane: Learn, Grow, Thrive,” a year-long effort aimed at raising awareness about the importance of mental health and facilitating access to local mental health and substance use resources.