UH Wellness is proud to offer Mental Health First Aid training to all interested students, faculty and staff.

Upcoming Courses:

Fall 2023

October      18-  Wednesday  Student Only Session - Register by October 5, 2023  

November    8   Wednesday

                             Registration: Coming Soon

What is Mental Health First Aid and what does it teach?
• MHFA is skills-based training that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge.

• Similar to physical First Aid and CPR, MHFA helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis until professional assistance is obtained or the crisis is resolved.

• Mental Health First Aiders learn a 5-step Action Plan to recognize warning signs of a mental health or substance use challenge, provide help in crisis and non-crisis situations and understand where to turn for additional assistance.
     » The 5-step Action Plan (ALGEE) is: Assess for risk of suicide or harm; listen nonjudgmentally; give            reassurance and information; encourage appropriate professional help; and encourage self-help and            other support strategies.

• Through MHFA, more than 2.6 million people in the U.S. have been trained by over 25,000 certified Instructors to identify, understand, and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

• Peer-reviewed studies have proven that trained Mental Health First Aiders are more knowledgeable and confident when it comes to identifying and helping an individual in distress.

• The new MHFA curriculum gives First Aiders working definitions for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It describes the types of crises associated with trauma and emphasizes the importance of early intervention following a traumatic event. First Aiders receive clear guidance for supporting someone immediately after a traumatic event, as well as over the time that follows. This added instruction on trauma will help First Aiders better assess and respond to situations where they encounter someone dealing with trauma related to COVID-19 or other events.

• The new MHFA curriculum helps First Aiders understand what self-care is and the various forms it can take. The curriculum demonstrates how self-care is important to resilience and recovery, and then helps First Aiders develop their own self-care action plans that they can use to navigate traumas and stressors

First Aiders do not take on the role of professionals — they do not diagnose or provide any counseling or therapy. Instead, the program offers concrete tools and answers key questions, like “what do I do?” and “where can someone find help?”

Training is free to all UH faculty, staff, and students. 

Once you are registered for the course, you will receive an email from the MHFA Learning Management System that will instruct you to create an account with the system and access the self-paced course. You will also receive reminders via email to complete the course before the date of the instructor-led portion.

Are you interested in hosting an outside Mental Health First Aid Training specifically for your UH department, office, or organization? Contact Reuben Parrish for details!