March to 5 Million
Since 2008, over 4.5 million people across the U.S. have been trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Now we’re setting our sights on the next milestone: 5 million trained Mental Health First Aiders.
March to 5 Million is about building momentum, inspiring others and celebrating the people who make this training possible: MHFA Instructors.
Every MHFA class you teach expands a network of people who are ready to support others in moments that matter most. With each new First Aider trained, we move closer to a world where mental wellbeing is truly within reach for everyone.
Together, these outcomes move us closer to our shared vision to make mental wellbeing a reality for everyone, everywhere. Reaching 5 Million First Aiders is about building a future where more people know how to help, more conversations happen, and more lives are changed.
And it happens one First Aider at a time.
Join the March to 5 Million
MHFA just doesn’t happen without our Instructors. Your dedication, leadership and passion have made everything possible. We are excited to March to 5 Million alongside you.
Here are some of the ways you can join the March:
- Keep teaching: Every class brings us closer to the goal of 5 million trained First Aiders. Make a personal goal for your teaching (“I commit to training __ First Aiders”).
- Share your story: Tell us why you became a MHFA Instructor and what keeps you teaching.
- Promote the movement: Download our graphics to inspire others to promote your efforts.
Why I Teach
Every Instructor has a story.
Maybe you teach because you’ve seen firsthand how mental health challenges impact your community. Maybe you want people to feel confident starting difficult conversations. Maybe you believe everyone deserves the tools to help someone in need.
Inspire others to make a difference by sharing your Instructor story.
Recognition and Incentives
We’re celebrating the incredible work MHFA Instructors are doing to train the next generation of First Aiders. Instructors who join the March to 5 Million will have opportunities to earn recognition and rewards for expanding their impact.
Impact Contest
You already make such an impact in your community — and we want to celebrate that. Instructors who train 100 or more First Aiders by October 10, 2026, will:
- Receive exclusive “I Helped March to 5 Million” social media graphics and an email signature to showcase their impact.
- Be automatically entered into our March to 5 Million Contest.
Contest Prizes:
We’ll randomly select three winners — one from each Instructor category:
- Adult Instructor Winner
$1,500 MHFA Store voucher plus exclusive merch bundle - Youth Instructor Winner
$1,500 MHFA Store voucher plus exclusive merch bundle - Teen Instructor Winner
$1,500 MHFA Store voucher plus exclusive merch bundle
It’s our way of celebrating the dedication and leadership of the Instructor community that makes Mental Health First Aid possible. View the full rules here.
Resources
To help you get started, we’ve developed a toolkit to help spread the word about the March to 5 Million. The toolkit includes:
- March to 5 Million social media graphics
- Email signature
- Updated Instructor Marketing Guide with new email templates for outreach
Monthly Instructor Leaderboard
See the incredible impact instructors across the country are making. As we March to 5 Million, we’ll highlight the Instructors who are making the biggest impact each month.
A monthly leaderboard in the News You Can Use newsletter and LinkedIn group will showcase the top 10 Instructors, based on the number of First Aiders they trained that month. Get your name on the list!
Kickoff Webinar
March to 5 Million kicked off with a special Instructor webinar.
During the session, we discussed:
- The progress toward 5 million Mental Health First Aiders
- Why Instructor leadership is essential to reaching the milestone
- Opportunities to participate in the campaign
- Strategies for growing your classes and expanding your reach
Why This Campaign Matters
Every day, MHFA Instructors help transform how people across the country understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges.
Since 2008, Instructors have trained more than 4.5 million Mental Health First Aiders across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Because of Instructors, millions of people are now better equipped to recognize the signs of a mental health or substance use challenge and connect someone to the help they need.
Check out some of the success stories!
But the work isn’t finished.
Our shared goal is to train 1 out of every 15 Americans in Mental Health First Aid, so that everyone has a close friend, colleague, or family member who knows how to respond when someone is struggling.
Because sometimes, a simple conversation can change everything.
Share Your Story
