CCUA hosts mental health first aid training workshop for credit unions

Citing growing concerns expressed in chats on its HR Network by credit union executives, Bill Nagle, SVP of professional development at the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA) stepped up to the plate and took action.

He contacted Mental Health First Aid and was partnered with Donna Dewan, a corporate consultant and master instructor with the National Council for Behavioral Health and requested they host their Mental Health First Aid at Work workshop for CCUA member credit unions, a program she originally designed and launched in collaboration with Aetna Behavioral Health.

Dewan, who holds a master’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice, along with being a certified clinical trauma professional, describes the session as an interactive, skills-based training program that teaches attendees how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

The hybrid certification program, consisting of two-hours of self-study followed by four hours of in-person training recently held at CCUA’s Marlborough office location was a first-of-its-kind for credit unions, attracting more than 30 attendees representing 21 credit unions from CCUA’s membership. The program is generally presented to a single organization, but in this case had to be customized for a multi-organization audience.

 

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