MARLBOROUGH, Mass.– Saying it was motivated by the growing concerns expressed in chats on its HR Network by credit union executives, the Cooperative Credit Union Association hosted a Mental Health First Aid at Work workshop.
The initiative was led by Bill Nagle, SVP of professional development at the association, who contacted Mental Health First Aid, where he was partnered with Donna Dewan, a corporate consultant and master instructor with the National Council for Behavioral Health. That led to the workshop for CCUA member credit unions based on a program Dewan originally designed and launched in collaboration with Aetna Behavioral Health, the association said.
According to the CCUA, 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.
‘First of its Kind’
The hybrid certification program, consisting of two-hours of self-study followed by four hours of in-person training, was held at CCUA’s Marlborough office location and was a “first-of-its-kind for credit unions,” attracting more than 30 attendees representing 21 credit unions from CCUA’s membership, the CCUA said.
The program is generally presented to a single organization, but in this case had to be customized for a multi-organization audience.
“The instructor was amazing,” said Nagle. “Everyone said it was what they wanted, what they needed on what to say and how to act when there’s a crisis.”
Nagle said HR leaders at credit unions served by the association are aware of numerous issues surrounding heightened anxiety, substance abuse and thoughts of suicide among workers, and have been looking for training and best practices to help them address the growing concerns.
The CCUA said plans are underway for a workshop.
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