Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that teaches you how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The training helps you identify, understand, and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses.

What You Learn

The course trains participants to help people who may be experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. You learn:

• Risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems.
• Information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and addiction disorders.
• A 5-step action plan to help someone developing a mental health problem or in crisis.
• Where to turn for help — professional, peer, and self-help resources.

Course Format

Length
The Mental Health First Aid course is 8 hours long. In your community, it may be offered all in one day or over two or four shorter sessions.

Activities
You learn by getting involved with the material and relating what you learn to real-life applications. Discussion topics, exercises, and other activities keep you engaged in the course and give you an opportunity to practice helping skills.

Environment
One or two certified instructors lead each course and follow a national curriculum and teaching standards, while emphasizing hope for recovery. Classes usually consist of 30 people or less are offered in a respectful, comfortable environment.

Course Types

Adult
The adult Mental Health First Aid courseis appropriate for anyone age 18 and older who wants to learn how to help a person who may be experiencing a mental health related crisis or problem. The adult course is available in both English and Spanish.

Youth
The youth Mental Health First Aid course is primarily intended for adults to learn how to help young people experiencing mental health challenges or crises. It reviews the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents ages 12-18 and emphasizes the importance of early intervention.