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Wheeling Human Rights Commission, National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Wheeling To Sponsor Mental Health Training

The Wheeling Human Rights Commission is taking steps to educate its members and Wheeling public officials on mental health.

The body unanimously approved a motion Tuesday to hold a day of Mental Health First Aid training for about 35 people, including commission members. The training, a six-hour certification course on how to help people developing a mental illness or in a crisis situation, will be run by National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Wheeling. Commission members plan to invite city officials, employees and law enforcement to participate.

“Particularly for folks who hold positions of authority with the public, this training serves as an incredible opportunity not only to understand more about persons who have mental illness but all persons who experience mental health conditions to some extent,” commission member Rosemary Ketchum said.

The NAMI Greater Wheeling course costs $30 per person, and the commission intends to spend $1,000 to make the event happen. The specific day is to be determined, but Ketchum said she hopes it can occur in May during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Ketchum will continue to work with Amy Gamble, executive director of NAMI Greater Wheeling, to plan the event.

“It’s a win-win, I think,” Ketchum said.

In addition, the commission unanimously voted in favor of a motion to commit to holding three to four training sessions by outside agencies each year.

Also at the meeting, the commission heard an update on its budget from Melissa Thompson, community development specialist. The commission has about $14,400 available to spend, based on funding from the Community Development Block Grant program and Southwest Pennsylvania Legal Services, she said.

At Chairman Frank Calabrese’s request, Thompson also clarified that the commission will continue to receive funding despite not being listed in the city’s proposed fiscal year 2019-20 budget. The commission does not receive money from Wheeling’s general fund.

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