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Disclaimer: This Adult Mental Health First Aid video series is designed to support certified Mental Health First Aid Instructors. It is not intended to replace or augment any part of the live training provided to First Aiders. Viewers are not permitted to redistribute the videos. This video series serves as a model, not a complete replication. Note that some discussions and participant interactions are condensed.

Series Overview:

  1. Introduction
  2. What is Mental Health First Aid?
  3. Disability and Recovery
  4. Depression and Anxiety
  5. Depression and Anxiety: Focus on Anxiety
  6. Assess for Risk of Suicide or Harm
  7. Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
  8. Reviewing ALGEE
  9. Panic Attacks
  10. Addressing Traumatic Events
  11. Understanding Psychosis
  12. Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis
  13. Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis
  14. Understanding Substance Use
  15. Mental Health First Aid for Substance Use
  16. Course Conclusion
1. Introduction


Slides 1-3, Teaching Notes pages 1-5

Contents:
Overview (0:15-0:44)
Welcome (0:45-2:26)
Exercise: Ice Breaker (Required) (2:27- 10:22)
Brief History of Mental Health First Aid (10:23-11:39)
Exercise: Ground Rules (Required) (11:40 – 16:00)
Exercise: Parking Lot (Recommended) (16:03-18:00)
Course Overview (18:12-End)

 

2. What is Mental Health First Aid?


Slides 4-7, Teaching Notes pages 6-10

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:39)
Overview of Manual (0:40-4:10)
What is Mental Health First Aid? (4:15-7:37)
Why Mental Health First Aid? (7:37-11:56)
What is a Mental Disorder? (12:29 – 17:00)
Prevalence of Mental Disorders (17:10-21:19)
Q&A (21:20-End)

 

3. Disability and Recovery


Slides 8-11, Teaching Notes pages 11-15

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:33)
Exercise: Opinions Quiz (Required) (0:34-1:58)
The Impact of Mental Illness and Exercise: Disability Weights (Required) (1:59-13:17)
What is Recovery? (13:18-16:29)
Where can Mental Health First Aid help? (16:30 – 20:09)
The Mental health First Aid Action Plan (20:33-End)

 

4. Depression and Anxiety


Slides 12-16, Teaching Notes pages 16-19

Contents:
Overview (0:06-1:04)
What is Depression? (1:04-10:59)
Exercise: A to Z (Required) (2:07-7:06)
Film: Journey from the Darkness (Alice) (Required)(11:00-15:54)
Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety (15:55 – End)

 

5. Depression and Anxiety: Focus on Anxiety


Slides 17-23, Teaching Notes pages 20-25

Contents:
Overview (0:06-0:34)
What is Anxiety? (0:35-6:42)
Set up and discussion of Film: Stories of hope and courage (optional) (6:43-10:14)
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety (10:15-19:27)
Exercise: Symptoms of Anxiety (Required) (10:15-15:31)
Risk factors for Depression and Anxiety (19:28 – End)
Discussion: Why don’t people seek help for their Anxiety? (not included)

 

6. Assess for Risk of Suicide or Harm


Slides 24-30, Teaching Notes pages 26-32

Contents:
Overview (0:06-0:59)
The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (1:00- 3:30)
Exercise: Helpful things to say (3:31-8:02)
Warning signs of suicide (8:03-18:27)
Exercise: myths and facts about suicide and NSSI (10:48-15:36)
How to talk with a person who is suicidal (19:13-end)

 

7. Nonsuicidal Self-Injury


Slides 31-34, Teaching Notes pages 32-35

Contents
Overview (0:06-0:44)
Understanding Self-Injury (0:45-6:44)
Exercise: Reasons people engage in self-injury (2:06-3:23)
How to Help (6:45-End)
Medical Emergencies (12:52-14:11)

 

8. Reviewing ALGEE


Slides 34-40, Teaching Notes pages 35-42

Contents:
Overview (0:06-0:37)
Reviewing ALGEE (exercise and discussion) (0:38-3:20)
Listening (3:21-14:42)
Exercise: How good a Listener are you? (optional) (3:26-7:27)
Giving Reassurance and Information (14:44-21:30)
Encourage Appropriate Professional Help (21:31-28:50)
Exercise: Who Can Help? (Required) (21:31-22:12)
Encourage Self-Help and Other Support Strategies (28:51 – End)
Discussion: Other Useful Supports (29:02-30:16)

 

9. Panic Attacks


Slides 41-45, Teaching Notes pages 44-48

Contents:
Overview (0:07-1:16)
Overview of Session 2 (1:17-3:08)
Understanding Panic Attacks (3:09-9:35)
How to Help (9:36-End)
Exercise: Panic Attack Demonstration (16:32 – End)

 

10. Addressing Traumatic Events


Slides 46-49, Teaching Notes pages 49-52

Contents:
Overview (0:06-0:28)
Understanding Trauma (0:29-3:17)
Discussion: What is a Traumatic Event? (Required) (1:02-2:20)
How to Help (3:18-17:18)
Exercise: Traumatic Event Scenario (3:18-7:20)
Discussion: Reviewing ALGEE (optional) (17:19 – End)

 

11. Understanding Psychosis


Slides 50-57, Teaching Notes pages 52-60

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:49)
What is Psychosis? (0:50-7:51)
Discussion: Myths and Misunderstandings (Required)(1:10-5:05)
Symptoms of Psychosis (7:52-13:21)
Types of Disorders in Which Psychosis May Occur (13:22–33:25)
Exercise: Auditory Hallucination (required) (19:56-30:05)
Early Intervention (33:26 – End)

 

12. Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis


Slides 58-62, Teaching Notes pages 61-66

Contents:
Overview (0:06-1:04)
Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis (1:04-10:59)
Exercise: Reviewing ALGEE (2:07-7:06)
Discussion: Recognizing a Crisis (Required) (11:00-15:54)
How to Help (15:55 – End)
Demonstration: Neutral Stance

 

13. Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis


Slides 63-68, Teaching Notes pages 67-73

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:51)
Film: Mental Health First Aid for Psychosis (0:52-1:98)
Discussion: Helpful and Unhelpful Things to Do (2:06-12:30)
Listening Nonjudgmentally (14:05-16:07)
Giving Reassurance and Information (16:08-18:49)
Encouraging Professional Help (18:50-20:47)
Encouraging Self-Help and Other Support (20:48-22:40)
What if the Person Doesn’t Want Help? (22:41-End)

 

14. Understanding Substance Use


Slides 69-75, Teaching Notes pages 74-80

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:43)
What are Substance Use Disorders? (0:44-6:15)
Understanding Substance Use Disorders (6:16-10:20)
Warning Signs (11:07-14:27)
Understanding Alcohol Use (14:28-22:54)
Exercise: FAQs About Alcohol (Required) (14:28-20:32)
Other Drugs (22:55-29:54)
Exercise: Who am I? (26:40-29:54)
Risk Factors (29:55 – End)

 

15. Mental Health First Aid for Substance Use


Slides 76-85, Teaching Notes pages 80-94

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:54)
Reviewing ALGEE: ALGEE Jigsaw (0:55-4:09)
Assessing for Risk of Suicide or Harm (4:10-21:28)
Exercise: Approaching Someone About their Substance Use (Required) (7:28-14:58)
Demonstration: Recovery Position (Required) (16:34-20:05)
How to Help: Having the Conversation (21:29–28:14)
Discussion: Stages of Change (Required) (25:38-28:14)
Encouraging Help (28:15-end)

 

16. Course Conclusion


Slides 86-87, Teaching Notes pages 94-96

Contents:
Overview (0:07-0:39)
Revisiting Mental Health First Aid (0:40-13:46)
Exercise: ALGEE Review (Required) (1:40-11:58)
Revisiting the Opinions Quiz (13:47-15:34)
Exam and Evaluation (Required) (15:35-18:54)
Conclusion (18:55-end)
  • In July 2015, I had the opportunity to take a Mental Health First Aid course at WestCare Nevada. Little did I know that just a few days later I would be using the information and techniques I had learned in the class in a real life situation.” –Rick Denton
  • Hilda Marie’s worst nightmare was unfolding right before her eyes. Teetering at the edge of the platform was a woman poised to jump in front of an oncoming train. What would you do? For Hilda, there was no question. She turned to the skills she learned in the eight-hour Mental Health First Aid class she completed. ” –Hilda Marie
  • I recently got dispatched on a psychiatric call...because I took the Mental Health First Aid class, I knew not to take the attitude that she's crazy and was able to keep her calm.” –Sarah L., EMT
  • I’ve taken regular first aid, and I’ve used both, but certainly the opportunities to use Mental Health First Aid are much more abundant.” –Nathan Krause, Pastor, Olney Seventh-day Adventist Church, Maryland
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