Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.

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Topics Covered

• Depression and mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Trauma
• Psychosis
• Substance Use disorders

Mental Health First Aid teaches about recovery and resiliency – the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and use their strengths to stay well.

 The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan

Assess for risk of suicide or harm

Listen nonjudgmentally

Give reassurance and Information

Encourage appropriate professional help

Encourage self-help and other support strategies

Interventions Learned

When you take a course, you learn how to apply the Mental Health First Aid action plan in a variety of situations, including when someone is experiencing:

• • Panic attacks
  • Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
  • Nonsuicidal self-injury
  • Acute psychosis (e.g., hallucinations or delusions)
  • Overdose or withdrawal from alcohol or drug use
  • Reaction to a traumatic event

The opportunity to practice — through role plays, scenarios, and activities — makes it easier to apply these skills in a real-life situation.

Watch our video of a sample role play scenario that shows some of the techniques learned in the Mental Health First Aid course.

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