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Register today for this free Mental Health First Aid 8-hour course that teaches you how to help someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. The training helps you identify, understand and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses.

Mental Health First Aid is made possible through a grant from the GiveWell Community Foundation. There is no cost to attend.

About the Training

This public education program introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs, builds an understanding of their impact and overviews appropriate supports. This course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect people to the appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care. The program also teaches common risk factors and warning signs of specific 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’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).

Course Details

Participants learn a five-step action plan, ALGEE, to support someone developing signs and symptoms of mental illness or experiencing 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 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?” Certified instructors provide a list of community healthcare providers and national resources, support groups and online tools for mental health and addictions treatment and support. All trainees receive a program manual to complement the course material.

Mental Health First Aid was introduced in the U.S. in 2008 and, to date, hundreds of thousands of people from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have taken the course. Approximately 400 people are trained each day, with that number expected to increase.

For more information or questions visit www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org.

Made possible through a grant from