Let’s make Mental Health First Aid as common as CPR

The Mental Health First Aid-USA curriculum is specifically designed to appeal to adult learners. The workshop will be facilitated by Elk Sage, Northern Arapaho Tribal Health MSPI Program Coordinator. Elk has been a certified MHFA Instructor since 2014.

Elk believes in the importance of MHFA, “This course will give you a greater understanding and a participant manual that is a great resource with much information. I myself have recovered from mental distress. I.e. PTSD, depression. This is why I am an advocate for good mental health.”

This is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Because we can all be more aware and more informed.

Most of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack—we’d start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or co-worker might be showing signs of alcoholism.

Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder.

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses, including recognizing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.

Mental Health and substance use issues can often be viewed as somber, serious or “heavy” topics. The program itself is designed to give appropriate weight to the severity of certain mental illness and addiction disorders while still emphasizing hope for recovery and presenting the material in a relaxed, comfortable environment for course participants.

BY THE END OF THE COURSE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Recognize the potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including; depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis, and psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury.
• Use a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional help.
• Interpret the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced negative attitudes in their communities.
• Apply knowledge of the appropriate professionals, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone with mental health problems treat and manage the problem and achieve recovery.
• Assess their own view and feeling about mental health problems and disorders.