Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid

One in five Americans has a mental illness, and the pandemic has dramatically increased depression and anxiety, but many are reluctant to seek help or don’t know where to turn for care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. Friends and family members may find it hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not receive care until it is too late.

Just as CPR helps even 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 5-step Action Plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.

Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This training — which focuses on the unique experiences and needs of college students — gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

What you will experience in a Mental Health First Aid Course

• A discussion of campus culture and its relevance to the topic of mental health.
• A discussion of the specific stress and risk factors faced by those in higher education.
• Applying the action plan in a number of scenarios designed specifically for faculty, administration, and students.
• A review of the mental health resources available on campus and through partnerships in the community.

Two ways to learn

Blended – Learners complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, and participate in a 5.5 hour, in-person Instructor-led training. OR

Virtual – Learners complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, and participate in a 6.5-hour, virtual Instructor-led training.

Request a Training

Mental Health First Aid courses are available at no charge to ECU faculty, staff, and students. This is made possible by a grant provided by the UNC system office.

Individual Training

If you are an individual who is interested in becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid, you can enroll in an open course. Open courses will be open for registration in the near future for the spring semester.

_{*Participants will be required to complete a 2 hour pre-learning asynchronous training prior to attending this course. Participants are also responsible for providing their own lunch during the 12-1pm lunch break.}

Private Group Training

Private courses are available to student organizations, campus departments, academic classes, residence halls, colleges, fraternities & sororities, athletic teams, and many more! Due to instructor availability, we are unable to take any additional requests at this time.

All Courses have a minimum of 5 participants and a maximum capacity of 30 participants at one time.