When emergencies strike, knowing how to handle special situations is key to helping the people in need.

That's why the Eastcentral Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center is hosting a Mental Health First Aid course from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday in the cafeteria at Carbon Career & Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe.The event is free and open to anyone. Registration is required by calling the Lehigh Carbon Community College Jim Thorpe campus at 570-669-7010 and leaving your name and telephone number."The training is a great tool for anyone who works directly with the public," said Larissa Kimmel, CASSP coordinator for Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health/Developmental Services. She said school staff, office employees, county agencies, criminal justice and court employees, police, cashiers, postal workers, and others can benefit from this program.The training covers Youth Mental Health First Aid and aims to educate people on identifying, understanding and administering first aid to people who are in a mental health crisis or experiencing mental health symptoms.According to United States Mental Health First Aid, "This program can reduce the damaging effects of mental and emotional disorders such as job loss, school dropouts, relationship issues, and drug and alcohol problems."AHEC is partnering with Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health/Developmental Services and New Perspectives Crisis Intervention Services to provide future trainings. To arrange a training on either youth or adult mental health first aid, call Kimmel at 610-377-0773 ext. 3621

or Kelly Purcell at 610-379-2001.For more information on Mental Health First Aid, visit

http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.