Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that teaches you how to help someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. The training helps you identify, understand and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses.

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Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in your community.

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Mental health affects how we live, love, laugh and learn. Adolescents are particularly susceptible- studies show that more than 20% of youth will have a debilitating mental disorder such as depression, anxiety or substance use. But only a third get help. Consequently, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in youth.

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The acronym ALGEE is our action plan:

A|Assess for risk of suicide or harm. -Don’t be afraid to directly ask them if they are thinking of killing themselves or have a plan already set.

L| Listen non judgmentally- really hear and understand what is being said. Make it easy for the person to feel they can talk freely

G|Give reassurance and information-including emotional support and empathy

E|Encourage appropriate professional help. They might not know what options they have

E|Encourage self-help and other support strategies.