Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid / Youth Mental Health First Aid / Older Adult Mental Health First Aid

Sweetser offers both the Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid courses. Both courses are 8-hour, in-person trainings that teach participants how to help persons developing a mental illness or in a crisis. This is a national program to teach the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use and Sweetser is proud to offer these workshops.
The 8-hour course will include role-playing, scenarios and activities to enhance the learning experience and offer opportunities to use the action plan.

Who should be trained in Mental Health First Aid/Youth Mental Health First Aid?

Police, teachers, clergy, volunteers, employers & business leaders, corrections officers, nursing home staff, first responders, and members of the general public can benefit from the information provided in Mental Health First Aid. Please note: This course would not be considered a self-care workshop for clinical practitioners.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.

Mental Health First Aid USA is coordinated by the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Dean Bailey, MPA, LSW, and Dennis Grannis-Phoenix, are certified by the National Council on Behavioral Health to present this training.