Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews appropriate supports. This 8-hour course uses roleplaying 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 specific illnesses like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).
