Practical skills to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training
Why MHFA Matters
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, early-intervention training program that teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges. Nearly one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness, and an average of 130 people die by suicide every day. Communities such as first responders, public safety officers, college campuses, and the military all face unique risk factors, but they also benefit greatly from MHFA’s approach to reducing stigma, promoting open dialogue, and connecting people to care.
What it Covers
The course addresses the signs and symptoms of common mental health and substance use challenges, and explores the unique risk and protective factors relevant to each audience. Participants practice applying the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE) through scenarios tailored to their setting, learning how to assess for risk of suicide or harm, listen without judgment, give reassurance and information, encourage appropriate professional help, and promote self-help and other support strategies. The training also highlights the resources available at the national, regional, and community level, so participants know how to connect people to the right care at the right time.
Who Should Take It
MHFA courses are designed to meet the needs of specific communities. The Adult MHFA program is suited for employers, healthcare professionals, first responders, and other caring individuals. Firefighters, EMS personnel, and their families gain tools to respond to trauma and the higher rates of depression and PTSD in their field. Law enforcement officers, other first responders, and 911 dispatchers benefit from the Public Safety course, which addresses crisis response and peer support. In higher education, MHFA equips students, faculty, advisors, coaches, and administrators to recognize and respond to challenges common on campus. The course tailored for military members, veterans, and their families addresses trauma, stigma, and caregiver stress in a community where suicide rates are significantly higher than the national average.
Who Should Take It
MHFA courses are designed to meet the needs of specific communities. The Adult MHFA program is suited for employers, healthcare professionals, first responders, and other caring individuals. Firefighters, EMS personnel, and their families gain tools to respond to trauma and the higher rates of depression and PTSD in their field. Law enforcement officers, other first responders, and 911 dispatchers benefit from the Public Safety course, which addresses crisis response and peer support. In higher education, MHFA equips students, faculty, advisors, coaches, and administrators to recognize and respond to challenges common on campus. The course tailored for military members, veterans, and their families addresses trauma, stigma, and caregiver stress in a community where suicide rates are significantly higher than the national average.