New London — Terena Richardson of Waterford could have spent Saturday enjoying the sunny fall weather but instead devoted her day to learning how to help others having a mental health crisis.

"You see a lot of mental illness, and it would be good to be able to recognize it and be able to give help that they'll accept," said Richardson, a postal worker who hopes to apply her human services degree and mental health training in a new career. "I just wanted to gain more knowledge about mental health and addiction."

Richardson was one of 25 teachers, school nurses, human resources professionals, first responders and others who took an eight-hour Mental Health First Aid class taught by staff of the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network in a conference room at the Holiday Inn.

The training, which will be offered to a second group of 25 people on Friday, was made available for just $10 tuition through a Frank Loomis Palmer Fund grant. It gives students who complete it certification in mental health first aid from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

"In the past two years, the number of trainers and classes offered has really skyrocketed," said Patricia Graham, case worker at Hartford HealthCare's Institute for Living and one of the two workshop leaders. The program, which began in Australia in 2001 and was brought to the United States in 2008, teaches people how to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental conditions so that those who are severely depressed, have anxiety disorders, are feeling suicidal or having a psychotic episode are given the support and direction they need to obtain treatment. Much like those trained in CPR can assist someone having a heart attack, those skilled in mental health first aid can also save lives and alleviate mental suffering, the trainers said.

"Mental illness can be more disabling than many chronic physical illnesses," impacting relationships, the ability to work and carry on daily activities, Graham said. "But the big point we want to make is that recovery from mental illness is completely possible, and the earlier the intervention, the better the treatment outcome. You as first responders can certainly help with that early intervention."

Students in the class were given a five-step action plan to follow when interacting with someone in need of help. It goes by the acronym ALGEE, which stands for: assessing the risk of suicide or harm; listening nonjudgmentally; giving reassurance and information; encouraging appropriate professional help; and encouraging self-help and other support strategies.

Graham and trainer Paula Smith, clinician at the Rushford Center in Meriden, emphasized the importance of opening up a conversations with those who may be in distress.

"The first thing people need to hear is that someone noticed," Graham said. "Say, 'I noticed you're feeling a little sad today. Do you want to sit and talk?' Sometimes just asking a simple question like, 'Are you OK?' is huge. The bottom line is to just be a supportive person."

The group also learned about the risk factors for suicide, and that if they're concerned someone might be suicidal, it's best to ask them directly.

"You need to be confident enough to ask, 'Are you thinking about suicide?' or 'Are you thinking about killing yourself?' and be prepared for them to say yes," Graham said. "Nine times out of 10, that person will be thankful that someone asked."

People who say they're contemplating suicide should always be taken seriously, she said, advising the class to call 911 or a mobile crisis service even if they're not sure they should.

They learned phrases that are helpful in these situations, such as, "It's OK to feel that way. We can get you the help you need," never to use guilt or threats to prevent suicide or agree to keep their plan secret, as well as a list of concrete actions to take.

Students also received a booklet with local mental health resources and learned about the value of showing what Graham called "basic human kindness" toward those in crisis.

"Listening can seem pretty easy, but it's not. You need to make the person feel respected, accepted and understood, and show genuineness and empathy," she said. "Don't blame the person for their symptoms, and give reassurance. Give the person hope for recovery."

For more information, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

j.benson@theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy