Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based course that teaches everyday citizens how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in real, actionable ways. Peer-reviewed studies show that individuals trained in the program:
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Grow their knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions.
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Can identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental illness or addiction.
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Increase their confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress.
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Show increased mental wellness themselves.
Studies also show that the program reduces the social distance created by negative attitudes and perceptions of individuals with mental illnesses.
MHFA teaches participants the 5-step ALGEE action plan: Assess for risk of suicide or harm; Listen nonjudgmentally; Give reassurance and information; Encourage appropriate professional help; and Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
Right now our classes are 100% virtual due to the ongoing pandemic. This includes ~2 hours of self-paced prework followed by a live (Zoom) portion taught by two co-instructors on the day of the class (5 hours of content plus breaks).