Mental Health First Aid is a 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. Find a course near you.
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.
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.
The adult Mental Health First Aid course is 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.
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.