Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental illnesses, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common supports. This 8-hour course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect persons to the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care. The program also teaches the common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses, like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.
This is a first aid class on mental illness; it is not for individuals with mental health knowledge or experience. The class is recommended for front line staff, administration workers, bus drivers, teachers, interested individuals, parents, shop keepers, coaches, etc.
Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).
In January 2013, President Obama recommended training for teachers in Mental Health First Aid. The core Mental Health First Aid course has been successfully offered to more than 100,000 people across the USA
NAMI Indiana is offering two course types: