Jana Marie Foundation president and founder Marisa Vicere and education and program specialist Christine Hughes have been named top Mental Health First Aid Instructors in Pennsylvania by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based, early intervention course administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Vicere, who also was named the National Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor of the Year in 2022, and Hughes lead courses for adults, youth and teens.
“Being recognized as a top Mental Health First Aid instructor is an honor and a very meaningful culmination of all I’ve learned and experienced since starting at Jana Marie Foundation in August 2022,” Hughes said. “I had dreamed of a position that would enable me to impact my local community and move forward the progress of mental health awareness. I feel like not only have I grown tremendously as a person, but I also have begun to accomplish much professionally in work that profoundly matters to me.”
Last year, Jana Marie Foundation taught Mental Health First Aid to more than 1,100 teens and certified 387 individuals as Youth Mental Health First Aiders and 235 as Adult Mental Health First Aiders.
The foundation works with Bald Eagle, Bellefonte, Huntingdon, Penns Valley and State College school districts to offer Mental Health First Aid to 10th-grade students.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach adults how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Adult Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary.
“Mental Health First Aid helps equip participants with the tools necessary to start a courageous conversation about mental health and provides an action plan to help connect those in need to various resources and supports within a community,” Vicere said. “We are grateful to provide Mental Health First Aid to our community because the language and steps taught in the course help to eliminate fear and increase understanding.”
For more information on Mental Health First Aid or other programs and events from Jana Maria Foundation, visit janamariefoundation.org
More Community
View all Community
Centre County Recognizes National Recovery Month; Vigil to Remember Lives Lost to Overdose
The Centre County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed September as National Recovery Month and Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day, highlighting local efforts to prevent overdose deaths and […]
Growing Wisely: How the Centre County Farmland Trust Helps Protect Open Spaces and Preserve Local Agriculture
The Centre County Farmland Trust explains how conservation easements, zoning and community involvement can shape smarter growth.
12 Named to Centre County Sports Hall of Fame 2026 Induction Class
A dozen local athletes, coaches and contributors who left an enduring mark on their communities have been named to the Centre County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. Each […]
