Local program offers “mental health first aid” sessions for barbers

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Barbers from around the city of Toledo gathered to learn “mental health first aid” on Monday.

“For us in our community often times the barber they are the pastor, they are the counselor, they are our best friend all at the same time,” Michael Carter, Interim Director of Health Equity for the Mental Health Recovery and Services Board for Lucas County, said. “We realize that there is a need for more mental health information, a need for more information about prevention, but there is a lot of stigmas and a lot of misconception. We want to begin to knock those things down and equip the people in our community to help our young people.”

Carter says that at the training session barbers were equipped with tools that could help them intervene when a person experiences a mental health crisis.

“They learned things like what is psychosis, what does that look like? Signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, panic attacks, various mental health disorders. They left with the ability to help someone who is really in trouble,” Carter said.

The training session was followed by a screening of the movie ‘Sons of Toledo’ at Mott Library Tuesday. The film follows the story of a Toledo barber who has to cut the hair of his younger brother, who dies from gun violence.

Marcus Temple stars in the film and is also a barber.

“Oftentimes that’s a part of barbering that people don’t really pay attention to that comes with our job. And it hit home a little differently when it’s a young kid,” Temple said.

The city’s Deputy Safety Director says he hopes the screening sparks a conversation -- and change.

“I come from a depressed community, it took me back to some areas that you often don’t want to remember,” Angel Tucker, the Toledo Deputy Safety Director, said. “It reminded me how important it was, not only for us to get mental wellness out to the community, but for us to focus on our own mental health and wellness.”

The film’s director tells 13abc a public premiere of the film will be held at the end of March at the Toledo Museum of Art.

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