NORTH CAROLINA – According to health care experts, you are more likely to come across someone having a mental health crisis than someone having a heart attack.

  • Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is holding a class to teach people how to help during a mental health crisis
  • One in five people in the United States have a mental illness
  • Visit Cardinal's website for the class schedule

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is holding classes to teach people what to do and how to help someone during a mental health crisis. Mental health trainers will teach people how to spot mental illness, how to step in and help, and what resources are available to those who need them.

Meenal Khajuria is a mental health trainer for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. She says one in five people in the country have a mental illness and only around 40 percent receive the help they need.

"Mental illness affects so many people around us and there are so many people that simply don't get the care they need and because it's such a misunderstood topic.  Because we all feel so uncomfortable in general discussing it, we're not able to support and help our fellow community members that are dealing with mental illness,” Khajuria said.

The class is free for community members. The organization says more sessions are being planned for spring.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare has officers in Chapel Hill, and throughout the Triad and Charlotte areas.

Visit Cardinal Innovation Healthcare’s website for class schedules.