Two years ago DCCCA began to train employees in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).  The MHFA training enables our staff to better understand and identify the risk factors and warning signs of mental illness. This training also provides the capacity to include all necessary health care options when developing care plans.

Every employee, no matter their role, interacts with someone experiencing distress at some point.  How we interact with those in need sets the foundation for our assistance in improving their lives.  Investing in MHFA trainers at DCCCA was the logical next step.  Having in-house certified trainers allows us to truly imbed the Mental Health First Aid philosophy in all program and administrative functions with consistency.

Certified Mental Health First Aid Trainers at DCCCA

We are proud to announce Kirk Weaver, Clinical Coordinator at Options Adult Services in Wichita and Ashley Countryman, Program Coordinator at First Step at Lake View in Lawrence, are DCCCA’s first Mental Health First Aid trainers.  Their certification is provided through the National Council for Behavioral Health and allows DCCCA to offer the MHFA resource not only to our employees agency wide, but to the many communities we serve across Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Kirk Weaver, Ph.D., LCPC, LCAC, NCC, CCMHC
Clinical Coordinator, Optional Adult Services, Wichita

“Mental Health First Aid is a great curriculum that not only educates on how to help people who present with symptoms of commonly encountered mental health problems, but it also works on a more profound level:  to de-stigmatize these conditions, putting them on a par with other medical issues.  MHFA is a national movement that is gaining traction-I’m proud to be part of it and can’t wait to teach it to others!”

Ashley Countryman, MS, LCPC, LCAC
Clinical Coordinator, First Step at Lake View, Lawrence

“I believe everyone could benefit from Mental Health First Aid training.  Similar to how CPR teaches a person to help during a physical crisis, MHFA teaches a person how to help during a mental health crisis.”