DE BEST staff is looking forward to DSAMH's offering of Mental Health First Aid Certification at no cost to our volunteers. UD's commitment to DSAMH is to have 40 DE BEST volunteers MHFA certified by June 30, 2024.

Why is it important for a DE BEST volunteer to have this training?

Just like CPR teaches you how to help someone having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to help someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. You learn risk factors and warning signs for mental illness and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations and where to turn for help.

When you take a Mental Health First Aid course, you learn not only how to recognize warning signs of a mental health crisis, but how to respond with the Mental health First Aid ALGEE Action Plan. Sometimes professional and other support services are not available in a crisis. When that happens, First Aiders like you can assist the person in an effective and safe way to get appropriate help and support.

1. Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
2. Listen non judgmentally.
3. Give reassurance and information.
4. Encourage appropriate professional help.
5. Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

 

What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health concerns, builds understanding of their potential impact, and overviews common treatments.

The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis; select interventions and provide initial help; and connect persons to professional, peer and social supports as well as self-help resources. MHFA allows for early detection and intervention by teaching participants about the signs and symptoms of specific illness like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and addictions.

The program offers concrete tools and answers key questions like "What can I do?" and "Where can someone find help?" Participants are introduced to local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups, and online tools for mental health and addictions treatment and support. MHFA USA is operated by the National Council for Behavioral Health. 

Learning Objectives

1. Provide an overview of the prevalence and impact of mental health problems in the United States

2. Introduce MHFA Action Plan and discuss how it fits within the array of interventions available to address mental health problems

3. Provide an overview of the signs, symptoms, and possible risk factors and warning signs of depression and anxiety

When can you take MHFA?

The first training November, 15 2023, a second scheduled for January 17th, 2024. More dates to come! The 1-day instructor-led trainings are typically 8-hour virtual trainings with a short self-led "pre-requisite" assignment. Since there is pre-requisite work, opportunity registrations will be closed at least one week prior to the date of the training.

Check postings and sign up through the DEBEST.GalaxyDigital.com portal's Volunteerism/Opportunities page.

Seats are limited, as such seats will be awarded on first come, first served basis. If pre-requisites are not completed by registrants, we will contact those volunteers from the "Wait List".

How do you sign up for a MHFA Certification Course?

Sign up on the DEBEST.GalaxyDigital.com portal's Volunteerism/Opportunities page. IN ADDITION to signing up through the DEBEST.GalaxyDigital.com portal, a Delaware Learning Center (DLC) account is required for registration. This ensures that we can confirm your registration with DSAMH and approve your MHFA Certification Qualification upon completion of the course. Please contact DEBESTvolunteers@gmail.com immediately if you need help setting up a DLC account. 

Notes:

• An open DLC account is required for registration. For sign up instructions, check out: DE BEST Blog Post on DLC Sign Up (DLC login is located on this page: https://dhr.delaware.gov/training/. After signing up for an account, you'll use the "State Sign-On" link if you have an email with @delaware.gov. If you do not have a state issued email, you'll use the "Standard Login".)

• Upon signing up on this portal, DE BEST staff will provide DSAMH with your name and email address so that your corresponding DLC account may be confirmed and registered for the course in DLC.

• The virtual trainings have PRE-REQUISITE work that must be completed one week prior to the date of the course. Taking this short self-led online training will save time and prepare you for the course content. The self-led assignment is an MHFA requirement that must be met before attending a virtual version of the MHFA training.

• Confirmation and the Pre-Requisite work will be sent to you via email from DSAMH. Upon receipt, it is important to view this assignment and continue to "click through" the presentation and forms until you reach 69% (scroll to bottom of webpage and "click through" until complete to the 69%).

• Please check the Volunteerism/Opportunities post for deadlines for registration and Pre-Requisite work.

This course/training is not eligible for CE credits.

 

References:

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2020/01/why-mental-health-first-aid/

Image Source: 

https://healthierjc.com/all-about-mental-health-first-aid/

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org