This six-hour virtual course is skills-based, experiential, and evidence-based. It requires two hours of verified pre-work before starting the four-hour virtual instructor lead training (VILT). This interactive course trains you to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of the most common mental health conditions and teaches you how to help someone through a proven action plan.

Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). Peer-reviewed studies show that trained participants experience:

• 67% increase in their knowledge of signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health conditions and substance use challenges. Participants show increased mental health wellness themselves.
• 56% increase in their confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress.
• 47% increase in their ability to identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources to connect a distressed person with.

Performance Objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
• Listen non-judgmentally.
• Give reassurance and information.
• Encourage appropriate professional help.
• Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

Requirements and Responsibilities: By enrolling in this course, you commit to complete the required pre-work 48 hours prior to the start of the four-hour live session. The pre-work consists of two hours of self-paced work in the Mental Health First Aid Learning Management System. Failure to finish this work will result in removal from the course, and your agency will be invoiced regardless of your participation level.

Consult with your information technology department to ensure that you can receive communication from csod.com and thenationalcouncil.org regarding the virtual Mental Health First Aid course. Google Chrome is most compatible with the Mental Health First Aid Learning Management System and is recommended.

Before the start of the live session, ensure you either print out the Participant Processing Guide or have an extra monitor to electronically view it. This guide is referenced repeatedly throughout the class.

Intended Audience: All audiences.