Sometimes even police officers need a little refresher.

Officers from the Selma Police Department will take a refresher mental health first aid course next month at the Cahaba Center for Mental Health. The course, which is available each month at the Cahaba Center for Mental Health to anyone for $35, will provide information on how to help someone dealing with a mental illness or crisis.

Selma Chief of Police William Riley said it is extremely important officers understand how to properly handle someone dealing with a mental health crisis.

“What makes it so important now for all law enforcement is you see more people diagnosed with some kind of mental illness or mental issue,” Riley said. “It’s just so prevalent now, and it is so important for us to try to get as much information as possible so when we come into contact with these individuals it will give us a better understanding of it.”

Officers will take classes Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 or on Oct. 9 and Oct. 16. Each of those classes will last four hours apiece.

“[The class] is to help the community come more aware of signs and symptoms of mental illness,” said Charryse Gorden, mental health instructor with the Cahaba Center for Mental Health. “Once they become aware of the different signs and symptoms of mental illness, [it shows] what the steps are in trying to help someone who is physically ill.”

Gorden reached out to Riley about the course, knowing that it could be a great resource for the SPD. Riley said periodically officers get a chance to take courses on mental health, but any time the department can go through a course like this, it’s well worth it.

“When you have the opportunity to get an 8-hour course, you jump on that opportunity,” Riley said. “You have to do all you can to get that opportunity because it’s that important.”

The course teaches a 5-step action plan to offer help to people showcasing the signs and symptoms of a mental illness. The action plan is called “ALGEE” — which stands for assess, listen, give, encourage professional help and encourage self-help. Gorden said the class would also try to remove some of the incorrect things people think are true about mental illnesses.

“Every crime that is being committed is not being committed by people with mental illness,” Gorden said. “Most of the time they are afraid to commit crimes so we need to change that stigma. A lot of people want to put behavioral issues on mental illnesses but that is not always the case and it’s very rare that is the case.”

Gorden said updated statistics show 1 in every 17 people deal with a major mental illness of some kind during their lifetime.

The course is held every month at the Cahaba Center for Mental Health. Graduates from the course will receive a certificate of completion that will be good for three years, Gorden said.

For more information on the course, contact Gorden at 505-1451 or call the Cahaba Center for Mental Health at 875-2100.