Mental Health First Aid Training

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Mental-Health-First-Aider Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges from the National Council of Wellbeing. The training helps you identify, understand, and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses using a 5-step Action Plan (ALGEE):

Assess for risk or harm

Listen nonjudgmentally

Give reassurance and information

Encourage appropriate professional help

Encourage self-help and other support strategies

The Chatham County Public Health Department offers Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings free of charge for community members and local organizations.

To request a training, please complete our Training Request Form or contact Jiona Mills at (919) 545-8445 or jiona.mills@chathamcountync.gov.

For more information about Mental Health First Aid, visit MHFA.org

Adult Mental Health First Aid

mental_health_first_aid_training Adult Mental Health First Aid teaches participants how to recognize and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults ages 18 and older. The training covers the signs and symptoms of common mental illnesses including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bi-polar disorder.

The course is 7.5 hours (not including lunch and breaks) and can be delivered in the following formats:

In-person: Learners receive Instructor-led training in-person divided into two 4- hour sessions or four 2-hour sessions
Blended, In-person: Learners complete 2-hours of self-paced online training and 5.5 hours of instructor-led training in-person
Blended, Virtual: Learners complete 2-hours of self-paced online modules and 5.5 hours of instructor-led training on a video conferencing platform (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams)

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed for parents, teachers, mentors, and other adults who regularly interact with adolescents (ages 12-18). The course covers adolescent development and introduces common mental health challenges for youth including anxiety, depression, substance use, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD), and eating disorders.

The course is 6.5 hours of content (not including lunch and breaks) and can be delivered in the following formats:

In-person: Learners receive Instructor-led training in-person divided into two 3.5 hour sessions
Blended, In-person: Learners complete 2-hours of self-paced online training and 4.5 hours of instructor-led training in-person
Blended, Virtual: Learners complete 2-hours of self-paced online training and 4.5 hours of instructor-led training on a video conferencing platform (ie. Zoom, Microsoft Teams)