The mental health of our military-connected students remains a priority. The Center continues to work in innovative ways to address the overall health and wellness of the military-connected community. Ingrid Wheeler, Assistant Director who oversees Behavioral Health Programs at the Center, continues to teach Mental Health First Aid courses as well has continued to bring to light wellness challenges experienced in these populations.
In the Fall of 2021, the Center piloted a Continuing Education Program aimed to education professionals and practitioners serving in military-connected communities through educational curriculum designed to provide up-do-date education and credit for continued licensures (e.g., CE/CEU’s). Through collaborations and partnerships with stakeholders in the Military/Veteran communities, including research and service organizations, this initiative serves as a hub for helping those working with Military-Connected communities to have access to current educational programming that can improve the care for the Military-Connected communities. Topics in the last year included Military Cultural Awareness for the Illinois National Association of Social Workers Conference, Veteran Suicide Prevention, Health Experiences and Outcomes of Never-Deployed Service Members, and Veteran Mental Health First Aid. This initiative remains active and in transition with program development as we expand our educational programming.
Mental Health First Aid training demands continue to grow. Research continues to show that Veterans and service-members remain at a risk for mental health and substance abuse problems. Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge. Recently, these trainings were requested from several offices around our campus, including the School of Molecular Biology, several college advisors, and central campus administrative offices.
We look forward to continued support and growth with these initiatives and addressing the health and wellness needs of Veterans and current service members.
