This is a paid release.
RiverValley Behavioral Health is providing community trainings to help raise awareness about the importance of mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month. RiverValley Behavioral Health offers Mental Health First-Aid and Question Persuade, Refer (QPR) community trainings at no cost to participants year-round.
Brooke Arnold, Director of the Regional Prevention Center said, “This month, we are excited to provide Youth Mental Health First Aid training to staff at Owensboro Public Schools. This evidence-based training will provide schoolteachers and administrators with the skills necessary to reach out and provide support to a student who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Last year, our team trained hundreds of individuals from our community in Mental Health First Aid, which includes teachers, business owners, and members from our faith-based community.”
Mental Health First-Aid is an eight-hour course that teaches participants to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Both Adult and Youth Mental Health First aid courses are offered.
RiverValley also offers Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training, which helps participants learn the warning sides of suicide and how to question, persuade and refer someone to get help. For more information about trainings offered by RiverValley Behavioral Health, email [email protected].
RiverValley Behavioral Health is now accepting submissions for its 2nd Annual Youth Mental Health Art Contest. Students from Kindergarten through college in the seven counties served by RiverValley are invited to submit a visual art piece (drawing, painting, sculpture, poem, etc.) to promote mental health awareness with the theme ‘Be Kind to Your Mind.’
The Project of the Year winner in each division (K-6, 7-12, College: ages 18-24) will be awarded $500 and a certificate. A matching contribution will be awarded for the school or non-profit youth organization selected by the winners. The school or youth organization with the most entries will receive $1,000 and the Mental Health Partner of the Year award.
“May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, we invite students to enter our art contest and share the importance of being kind to your mind. We hope that this will provide an opportunity for families and educators to start a conversation about mental health with youth. We appreciate our young artists for sharing their talents to spread a message of hope,” said RiverValley’s President & CEO, Dr. Wanda Figueroa Peralta.
To enter the contest, students can download an entry form at www.rvbh.com or email [email protected]. Entries must be received by May 20, 2022. Contest winners will be announced at an award ceremony slated for June.
RiverValley Behavioral Health is the Commonwealth’s designated regional behavioral healthcare provider in Western Kentucky for over 50 years, serving: Daviess, Ohio, McLean, Hancock, Webster, Union and Henderson counties. They currently host over 27 programs that include in-patient and out-patient services for families impacted by mental health, alcohol and drug addictions and developmental disabilities.
To access RiverValley’s services, contact 270-689-6879 or TDD- Hearing Impaired at 1-800-769-4920. If you are in crisis and this is a non-medical emergency, please call or text our Crisis Line at 800-433-7291.
For additional information, please contact Jessica Pierce, Director of Communications, at 270-689-6540 or [email protected].
