Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges, builds an 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 various Fridays. Due to the interactive nature of this course, there is a maximum of 30 participants per offering.
2024 spring and summer course dates:
Friday, April 5, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Friday, May 10, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central
Friday, April 12, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Friday, August 9, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central
Friday, April 19, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Friday, August 16, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central
Friday, April 26, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central Friday, August 23, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Central
If you took the Mental Health First Aid Certification Program in 2021, be sure to register for one of the spring or summer sessions to get recertified. Your certification is valid for three years after the exam. |
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:
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:
This course teaches attendees how to apply the ALGEE action plan:
As part of their enrollment, each participant will have access to:
This program has been approved for 7.5 CLM credit hours, as follows:
HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
ALA is a recognized provider of HRCI recertification credits. All 2024 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 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 2024 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.
*Please contact [email protected] for information regarding continuing education credit.
All times listed below are Central time zone. Content and schedule are subject to change.
The one-day Mental Health First Aid Certification Program is being offered on eight separate Fridays. Registrants choose one of the following 2024 dates:
*Note: Individual registration is required. Saving this event to your calendar does not constitute registering for the event.
Each class will be provided in a blended format:
Information regarding the online prework will be emailed to registrants one week prior to the live session. It will come from Mental Health First Aid Team ([email protected]). This self-paced work is expected to take approximately two hours and must be completed prior to the start of the live session.
The live, instructor-led session will run from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and will include a 30-minute break for lunch and 10-minute morning and afternoon breaks. View the MHFA Course Syllabus provided by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
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.