Mental Health First Aid USA

Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental illnesses, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common supports. This course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect persons to the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care. The program also teaches the common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses, like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).

COURSE DETAILS

Mental Health First Aid teaches participants a five-step action plan, ALGEE, to support someone developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis:

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm
• Listen non-judgmentally
• Give reassurance and information
• Encourage appropriate professional help
• Encourage self-help and other support strategies

Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. First Aiders do not take on the role of professionals — they do not diagnose or provide any counseling or therapy. Instead, the program offers concrete tools and answers key questions, like “what do I do?” and “where can someone find help?”  All trainees receive a program manual to compliment the course material.

MAIN OFFERINGS:

• Adult (for those who primarily interact with adults)
• Youth (for those who primarily interact with children and adolescents ages 6-18)

SPECIALIZED MODULES ALSO AVAILABLE:

• Higher Education (for those working with college-age young adults)
• Public Safety (for Law Enforcement, Corrections, 911 Dispatch staff, and other first responders)
• Fire & EMS (focuses on the unique experiences and needs of Fire and EMS personnel)
• Veterans, Military Members, and Their Families (focuses on the specific risk factors faced by many service members and their families)
• Older Adult Module (for those interacting with adults over the age of 65)

THREE LEARNING OPTIONS

• VIRTUAL.  Complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, and then participate in a 4.5 to 5.5-hour, Instructor-led video conference.
• BLENDED LEARNING. Complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, then attend a 4.5 to 5.5-hour, in-person class.
• IN-PERSON. First Aiders will receive their training as an 8-hour, Instructor-led, in-person course

Click here to find a class.  For more information contact us at  (937) 443-0416 x129.