DEL Staff and Board Members Obtain Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification

In April 2024, the Dubuque Esports League staff and board members took a significant step towards our mission by completing their Youth Mental Health First Aid Certifications. This training, focusing on brain and emotional health, is a crucial pillar of our organization's mission, and we believe it is essential for our team to be equipped with these skills and knowledge.

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.

This certification was led by Christina Mensinger-Skiels, BA, CPS, with the Area Substance Abuse Council. The following received their certifications:
Jaylee Keller, Arena Assistant
Shelby Wartick, DEL Executive Director
Susie Quinn, DEL Executive Director
Tom Wartick, DEL Vice President, Board of Directors

Mental Health First Aid Matters (Information from the National Council of Mental Wellbeing)

Most of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack — we’d start CPR, or at the very least call 911. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or coworker might be showing signs of alcohol use disorder.

Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting these conversations by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental health or substance use challenge.

When more people are equipped with the tools to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they need. Mental Health First Aiders are a vital link, connecting those experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge with appropriate support.

#BeTheDifference