The 2022-2024 Community Health Needs Assessment found mental health to be a top priority in our community, and our health system is on a journey to make our community a place where optimal health is achievable for everyone. 

The mental wellness workshops offered by Corewell Health in Southwest Michigan provide mental health resources and educate community members on system-level advocacy and trauma-informed health care. 

To schedule a group workshop for the courses offered below, please fill out the form, and an instructor will reach out to you.

This workshop will introduce three topics: mental wellness, trauma and resilience. Participants will be provided with interactive opportunities to explore new concepts, what they mean to the individual and the community, and their implications for health outcomes. In addition, participants will discover mental wellness terms, strategies and educational resources, including Community Resiliency Model® (CRM) and Mental Health First Aid for youth and adults.

Length: 1 hour
Cost: Free  

Adult Mental Health First Aid 

In the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course, community members will be taught skills to identify, understand and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance abuse challenges. Participants will also learn how to provide initial support to someone in need until they are connected to the appropriate professional help. MHFA teaches a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select and implement appropriate interventions. This workshop addresses common mental health concerns encountered by adults, offers self-help strategies for staying mentally well and teaches strategies for family members, friends and peers to offer support to each other. Local resources are reviewed to help them connect to appropriate care.

Length: 8 hours
Cost: Free for those who live or work in our service area (Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties). There is a nominal fee for those who are outside of our service area.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem – and help them connect to appropriate care. 

Length: 6.5 hours (2-hour, self-paced online class and 4.5 hours in-person)
Cost: Free for those who live or work in our service area (Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties). There is a nominal fee for those who are outside of our service area.

Community Resiliency Model

The Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® is a skills-based wellness and prevention program that provides biological and non-stigmatizing perspectives on normal human reactions to stress and trauma. CRM workshops introduce six wellness skills designed to help adults and children learn to track their nervous systems to bring the body, mind and spirit back into greater balance. These workshops are intended to meet the needs of K12 school staff, health care providers, faith-based communities, youth and families.

The goals of CRM include:

1. To help create “trauma-informed” and “resiliency-focused” communities that share a common understanding of the impact of trauma and chronic stress on the nervous system
2. To show how resiliency can be restored or increased using this skills-based approach.

Length: Introduction - 2 hours; Workshops - 3-5 hours; Full training - 1-2 days
Cost: Free 

Explore Additional Resources Near You

Pop into Resilience through digital art

To help address the need for mental support in Berrien County, Corewell Health developed the “Pop-Up Art & Wellness Center: Pop into Resilience” project in collaboration with community partner Krasl Art Center. The project provides youth with an educational, skill-building and participatory experience using the arts to convey Community Resiliency Model® (CRM) based knowledge and skills. The activities and art also help youth learn how to heal from their experiences. Over three years, the collaboration ignited a traveling art exhibit and six permanent art installations at local sites.

One visit can save your life 

Corewell Health Center for Wellness offers a variety of services to Berrien County residents including health screenings, legal aid, mental health therapy, social navigation services and other forms of support, in downtown Benton Harbor. Click below to read about the center’s expansion, patient experiences and how to schedule an appointment.