(Webinar) Mental Health First Aid

(Webinar) Mental Health First Aid

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Date/Time
Date(s) - Thursday, May 27, 2021
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Categories


Similar to First Aid and CPR, Mental Health First Aid helps those experiencing mental health problems before they can get professional help and support.  Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as CPR training helps a layperson without medical training assist an individual following a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid training helps a layperson assist someone experiencing a mental health crisis.

The evidence behind Mental Health First Aid demonstrates that it makes people feel more comfortable managing a crisis situation and builds mental health literacy — helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness. Specifically, studies found that those who trained in Mental Health First Aid have greater confidence in providing help to others, greater likelihood of advising people to seek professional help, improved concordance with health professionals about treatments, and decreased stigmatizing attitudes.

OBJECTIVES:
• Knowledge of the potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including: depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury
• A 5-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources, and knowledge to assess the situation, to select and implement appropriate interventions, and to help the individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional care
• An understanding of the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced stigma in their communities
• Working knowledge of the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone with a mental health problem treat and manage the problem and achieve recovery

WHY: Mental health problems – such as depression, anxiety, impulse control and misuse of alcohol and other drugs – are shockingly common in the U.S. In fact, more than one in four American adults will have a mental health problem in a year. The National Council on Community Behavioral Healthcare has begun working with communities throughout the nation, including Pottawattamie County Community Services, to implement Mental Health First Aid to arm the public with skills to help individuals who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The clinical and qualitative evidence behind the program demonstrates that it helps the public better identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness, thus improving outcomes for individuals experiencing these illnesses. For more information on Mental Health First Aid, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

Instructors: ISU Staff

This training has been approved for 6 hours of foster parent training credit. Participants must complete a 2-hour online course prior to the 6-hour virtual training offered through Zoom.

Register here

For questions about Mental Health First Aid, contact David Brown at dnbrown@iastate.edu or 515.294.0860.
For questions about Youth Mental Health First Aid, contact Demi Johnson at demij@iastate.edu or 515.957.5760.

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