Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training program administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.
The training gives you the skills to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use challenge or experiencing a crisis.
What It Covers
- Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.
- Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.
- How to interact with a person in crisis.
- How to connect a person with help.
- Expanded content on trauma, substance use and self-care.
Mental Health First Aid Matters
Most of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack—we’d start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or co-worker might be showing signs of alcoholism.
Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder.
When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they need. Mental Health First Aiders can even save lives.
For more information, please contact kwilliams@lmccares.org
Mental Health First Aid USA is managed, operated, and disseminated by the: National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Missouri Department of Mental Health
Appropriate auxiliary aids and services will be provided to qualified persons with disabilities if requested at least 5 days in advance.