Mental Health First Aid Training

A public education program that offers courses which teach people how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorder in people with whom they interact. The symptoms of mental illness can be difficult to detect. Even when friends and family of someone who appears to be developing mental illness can tell that something is amiss, they may not know how to intervene or direct the person to proper treatment – which means that all too often, those in need of mental health services do not get them until it is too late. The training introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs, builds understanding of their impact, and provides an overview of common treatments. The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis, select appropriate interventions, provide initial help and connect people to professional, peer and social supports as well as self-help resources. A wide variety of people may find the course of value including teachers, first responders, law enforcement personnel, veterans and people who want to be prepared, in general, to help their neighbours, children, parents and friends and others.