There are two types of Mental Health First Aid courses — adult and youth.
Both adult and youth Mental Health First Aid courses are 8 hours long and feature:
Find out which course type is best for you.
The adult Mental Health First Aid course is appropriate for anyone 18 years and older who wants to learn how to help a person who may be experiencing a mental health related crisis or problem. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions. The adult course is available in both English and Spanish. Course participants come from a variety of backgrounds and play various roles in a community, and instructors may specialize in providing the course to groups such as police officers or faith leaders. Look for icons on instructor profiles for public safety, rural, higher education, and faith.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. 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.
