Mental Health First Aid Training

Sometimes First Aid Isn’t a Band Aid – It’s You!

StarCare provides in-person and virtual Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training to groups and individuals who reside in Lubbock, Lynn, Cochran, Crosby, and Hockley counties. The course is designed to give members of the public key skills to respond in a mental health emergency and offer support to someone who appears to be in emotional distress. Most people know how to recognize and appropriately react to medical emergencies, but there is little knowledge in the general public about what to do in a mental health crisis.

First Aiders will complete a 2-hour self-paced class and then participate in a 4.5- to 5.5-hour instructor-led class using videoconferencing technology.

People interested in MHFA can attend one or two separate courses (adult and/or youth) that introduce participants to:

• Unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems
• The importance of early intervention
• Helping a person in crisis or experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge

The virtual training includes content on trauma, addiction, and self-care and is gender-neutral and culturally relevant. In addition, the Youth MHFA training also has new information for adults working with elementary-age children, including the topic of social media impact.

Just as CPR training helps a person with no clinical training assist an individual following a heart attack, MHFA training helps a person assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or a mental health crisis, such as contemplating suicide.

Through experiential activities and role-playing scenarios, participants will:

• Learn how to assess a mental health crisis
• Learn about the risk factors and warning signs for mental health or substance use problems
• Build an understanding of the impact of illness on individuals and families
• Learn information about evidence-supported treatment and self-help strategies
• Learn how to provide initial help and connect people to professional, peer, social, and self-help care

The goal of Mental Health First Aid is to increase mental health literacy, not to learn to diagnose or to provide therapy or counseling.

 Who Should Take The Course(s)?

• Friends and family of individuals with mental illness or addiction
• Law enforcement
• HR directors
• Primary care workers
• School and college faculty, coaches, staff and leadership
• Adults who regularly interact with youth
• Faith communities
• Chambers of Commerce
• Professional associations
• Hospital staff
• Nursing home staff
• Rotary Clubs
• Parent organizations
• Social clubs
• Any group or person interested in learning more about mental illness and addiction

Find a Mental Health First Aid Course.