Mental Health First Aid - Online Classroom

8:30am-4:00pm PT via Zoom Meeting
Meeting link will be sent to registered attendees the day before the session.

CONTENT WARNING: SUBSTANCE USE

PLEASE NOTE: THIS COURSE IS NOT INTENDED FOR WHEN WORKING WITH YOUTH. THE COURSE REQUIRES TWO HOURS OF SELF-GUIDED PRE-WORK AND Seven HOURS OF ONLINE INSTRUCTOR-LED SESSION ON A SATURDAy. 

Develop the skills and confidence to help others in crisis and promote healing. Just as CPR helps those without clinical training assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental health crisis. Mental Health First Aiders learn a five-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support:

• 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

Participants complete a two-hour, self-paced, online course and a six-hour live training session on Zoom, which covers:​

• Mental health conditions​
• Substance abuse disorders​
• Mental health stigma​
• Community resources for getting help​
• How to respond to a person in crisis​

Adult Mental Health First Aid course is not intended to replace professional therapy or medical treatment. This course aims to provide individual students with the skills they need to provide initial support to an individual in mental health distress until appropriate professional help arrives. This course isn't meant as a one-stop solution for helping someone in distress with their mental health.

The Adult Mental Health First Aid course is appropriate for anyone 18 years and older who wants to learn how to help a person who may be experiencing a mental health related crisis or problem. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and substance use disorders.

REQUIRED PRE-WORK

This interactive certification course will take place online. There is self-guided pre-work that takes approximately two hours to complete. The pre-work is required to attend the Zoom sessions. The instructor-led portions will consist of short presentations, but mostly of activities (group and individual), discussions, videos, and scenarios. Participation is highly encouraged, but not required. It is a “challenge by choice” style. This is not therapy, nor training to become a therapist.

PRESENTER

Oregon State University (OSU) College of Health​: OSU Extension Family & Community Health​. This training is offered as part of Coast to Forest, a project to improve mental health and well-being and reduce opioid misuse and abuse and associated harms.​ Coast to Forest is led by OSU’s College of Health and OSU Extension Family and Community Health and is funded by local and regional SAMHSA grants.

LEAD IMAGE BY NATE BROWN