Mental Health First Aid Certification Program
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges, builds understanding of their impact and provides an overview of appropriate supports. It teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.
ALA’s Mental Health First Aid Certification Program is an interactive training course comprised of 2 hours of self-paced content (to be completed online independently prior to the live session) and one 6.5-hour instructor-led session over Zoom. The one-day training program will be offered on four separate Fridays. Due to the interactive nature of this course, there is a maximum of 30 participants per offering.
Participants should choose one of the following fall 2022 course dates:
Friday, October 21, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Session Full
Friday, October 28, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Session Full
Friday, November 4, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Session Full
Friday, November 11, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Session Full
Background
One in five Americans has a mental illness, but many are reluctant to seek help or might not know where to turn for care. It's hard enough for friends and family to know when and how to provide support. But when mental health challenges affect an individual's work, their employers and colleagues may be at even more of loss about what to do.
Just as CPR helps even those without clinical training to assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. Mental Health First Aiders learn a five-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.
MHFA was introduced in the United States in 2008 and has become a significant movement here — over 2 million people are certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is growing every day. The course is offered to a variety of audiences, including university professors and staff; doctors, nurses and other hospital employees; employers; business leaders; faith communities; and law enforcement.
A 2018 study of the Adult and Youth Mental Health USA curricula concluded that the program:
- Reduced stigma around mental illness.
- Increased participant knowledge about mental health.
- Raised participant confidence to use the MHFA five-step action plan (ALGEE).
Course Details
MHFA is designed for firms with locations/a presence in the United States and is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges, builds understanding of their impact and provides an overview of appropriate supports. The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect people to the appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care. The program also teaches common risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges.
Each class is provided in a blended format:
- Online Prework: It takes place on an e-learning platform in a self-paced, on-demand format. Participants will be invited to complete this on their own the week prior to their registered date. This self-paced work is expected to take approximately two hours and must be completed prior to the start of the live session.
- Friday Live Session: This session is led by an instructor. Held over Zoom, this part of the course provides an interactive experience for 6.5 hours of synchronous learning. View the MHFA Course Syllabus provided by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
- Obtaining Certificate: Following the conclusion of the live session, attendees will be asked to complete a post-test to obtain their Mental Health First Aid Certification certificate, which is valid for three years.
This course teaches attendees how to apply the ALGEE action plan:
- Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
- Listen nonjudgmentally.
- Give reassurance and information.
- Encourage appropriate professional help.
- Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
As part of their enrollment, each participant will have access to:
- The Mental Health First Aid Participant E-Manual, which provides detailed information on how to use the MHFA five-step action plan, plus peer-reviewed research on signs, symptoms and how to support others
- The Participant Processing Guide, used throughout the course
- National mental health resources
- A Self-Care Action Plan
Speakers
Judith A. Hissong, CLM, PCC
President
Nesso Strategies
Judy Hissong, CLM, PCC, is the President of Nesso Strategies and a current member of ALA’s Board of Directors. She has served as a volunteer leader at the chapter and international levels of the Association. A former law firm Chief Operating Officer, she helps firms become more profitable by advising leaders in strategic and leadership development challenges. By creating actionable, lightbulb moments that leaders want to share and spread, she intends to improve the world one person at a time.
John M. Jakovenko, CLM, SPHR
Firm Administrator
Sparks Law, LLC
John M. Jakovenko, CLM, SPHR, is the owner of The Jakovenko Group, a consulting firm focusing on providing fractional legal administration services to small to midsized law firms throughout the country. His career in legal management spans two decades and includes leadership roles in human resources and firm administration in law firms in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Jakovenko helped develop what is now ALA’s Human Resources web-based courses, which he has taught since 2015. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Kennesaw State University, teaching courses on human resources. Jakovenko has taught the human resources section of the Law Firm Management Essentials course since 2016.
Lisa A. Waligorski, CLM, PHRca, SPHR
Executive Director
Newmeyer & Dillion LLP
Lisa Waligorski, CLM, PHRca, SPHR is the Executive Director at Newmeyer & Dillion, LLP. She started her career in a legal assistant/paralegal role, and the past 20+ years have been spent in either an Executive Director or Director of Finance/Controller role. Her education and background provide experience and knowledge in developing and implementing strategic initiatives, and overseeing organizational operations, finance, human resources, facilities, information technology, and marketing and business development. Waligorski has been a speaker on both law firm accounting and human resources topics. She has also been an ALA web-based course instructor for Law Firm Accounting and Financial Information and Analysis for the past seven years. She has been heavily involved in two ALA chapters: Gateway and Orange County. She has served on several committees, held multiple board positions and has been President of both chapters.
Allison E. Worley, CLM, MBA
Executive Director
Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C
Allison Worley, CLM, MBA, is the Executive Director at Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal in St. Louis, Missouri. She started her career in legal as a file clerk more than 20 years ago. In her leadership role, she has led her firm through construction projects, technology infrastructure re-designs and the pandemic. In 2021, she was selected for the Susan L. French Emerging Leader Fellowship through the Foundation of ALA.
 | Regardless of the stage in your career, certification adds a valuable dimension to your professional development. ALA's Certified Legal Manager (CLM)® program provides the opportunity to demonstrate you have mastered the knowledge, skills and abilities to operate at a high level of expertise in the field of legal management. |
Earn Application and/or Recertification Credit by Attending!
Module sessions with these icons are applicable to the CLM credits as per the schedule of events. All sessions account for 1.5 hours.
Continuing Education Credits
This program has been approved for 7.5 CLM credit hours, as follows:
- 2-hour Mental Health First Aid Intro (self-paced): 2 credits
- CLM App category: Organizational Development
- No functional specialist credit
- Recertification category: Communications and Organizational Management (CM)
- Instructor-led portion: 3.5 credits
- CLM App category: None
- Functional Specialist: Human Resources Management
- Recertification category: Human Resources Management
- 1 credit:
- Self-Management
- 1 credit:
- Recertification: Substance Abuse
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
ALA is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. For more information please visit the NASBA website.
All fall 2022 sessions of MHFA have been reviewed and approved for 1 hour of Personnel/Human Resources credit. To receive CPE credit, you will need to reach out to [email protected] to receive your NASBA certificate.
HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
ALA is a recognized provider of HRCI recertification credits. All fall 2022 sessions of MHFA have been reviewed and approved for 7.5 hours of HRCI credits. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HR Certification Institute website.
To receive HRCI credit, you will need to self-report that you have completed the post-test and obtained your certificate. The HRCI codes issued for the 2022 Mental Health First Aid Certification Programs are:
- October 21: 592233
- October 28: 592234
- November 4: 592241
- November 11: 592244
The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the activity. It means that this activity has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be preapproved for recertification credit.
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
ALA is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs). All fall 2022 sessions of MHFA have been reviewed and approved for 7.5 hours for SHRM credits. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit shrmcertification.org.
To receive SHRM credit, you will need to self-report that you have completed the post-test and obtained your certificate. The SHRM codes issued for the fall 2022 Mental Health First Aid Certification Programs are:
- October 21: 22-HX3QW
- October 28: 22-MFU6K
- November 4: 22-MXE2D
- November 11: 22-9HPTN
