Mental Health First Aid (Standard) – Virtual Course
Course Outline
The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that one in every five Canadians experiences a mental health problem within a given year. While we often know a lot about physical illness, there tends to be less knowledge about mental health or substance use problems. This lack of understanding leads to fear and negative attitudes towards individuals living with these problems. It prevents people from seeking help for themselves and from providing appropriate support to people around them.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis.
Course participants will learn how to:
1. Recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis
2. Have conversations that encourage a person to:
- Talk about declines in their mental well-being
- Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being
- Reach out to these supports
3. Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis
4. Use MHFA actions to maintain one’s own mental well-being
Module 1: Self-Directed
• Introduction to the course
• Introduction to MHFA actions
Module 2: Virtual Classroom
• Practice applying MHFA actions to situations of declining mental well-being
• Guidelines for MHFA conversations with people from diverse cultures and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community
Module 3 Virtual Classroom
• Discussion on using MHFA actions for self-care
• Practice using MHFA actions in crisis situations
Method of Instruction
This 8-hour course opens with a self-directed module (Module 1) that focuses on the information and strategies that participants will discuss and practice throughout the virtual classroom modules (Modules 2 and 3). Course participants are required to complete Module 1 before participating in Module 2 and 3. Upon registration, participants will receive the “MHFA Participant Reference Guide” that outlines MHFA actions for developing mental health and substance use problems, and mental health and substance use crises.
Email jmitchell.services@gmail.com to set up a MHFA (Standard) – Virtual Course with a group or join an upcoming public course!
Specialized Workshops On Mental Health and Substance Use Topics
Contact jmitchell.services@gmail.com to book training or get a quote.
Now offering Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Resilience and Crisis First Aid, and Mental Health for First Responders on a virtual platform! Participate in engaging learning that has been developed to increase mental health awareness, resiliency, and capacity to provide support to individuals who are struggling. Choose from three high demand programs that teach various levels of understanding and techniques that have been designed through frontline experience and evidence-based research. This includes:
•Understanding Mental Health and Reducing Stigmas
•Communication and Meeting Bio-Psycho-Social Needs
•Navigating The Mental Health Continuum
•The ABCD Approach to Mental Health Support
•Mood-related Disorders, Grief, Bereavement, and Suicide Intervention
•Anxiety and Trauma Responses
•Psychosis and Altered States of Consciousness
•Substance-use Disorders
•Self-Care and Increasing Resiliency
•Responding To Potential Emergencies – Overdose Response, Crisis De-escalation, Panic Attacks, Acute Psychosis
Mental Health Awareness (1.5 hours)
Participants of this training will learn a general overview of the steps to identify and assist individuals who are struggling with their mental health, while promoting awareness and resiliency in their workplaces and communities. Participants are introduced to important topics and helpful techniques to enhance confidence when providing support to those with declining well-being; while remaining resilient through effective self-care.
Mental Health Resilience and Crisis First-Aid (3 hours)
Participants of this training will learn and practice the steps to identify and assist individuals who are struggling with mental health problems, disorders, or experiencing acute emergencies related to their mental health or substance use. This training introduces more advanced skills and understanding to increase capacity to support individuals in crisis; while monitoring yourself to prevent burnout or compassion fatigue.
Mental Health for First Responders (3 Hours)
This specialized training has been developed by First Responders for First Responders. Topics and skills are explored from both an emergency response and peer support perspective. Participants of this training will learn and practice the steps to identify and assist individuals who are struggling with mental health problems, disorders, or experiencing acute emergencies related to their well-being. This training introduces more advanced skills and understanding to increase capacity to support individuals in crisis; while monitoring yourself to prevent burnout or compassion fatigue.
Contact jmitchell.services@gmail.com to book training or get a quote.
Workshops On Important Topics!
Overdose Prevention & Harm Reduction (1.5 hours)
Participants in this workshop will gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Define Harm Reduction, the role it plays in addiction and mental health care
- Discuss the stigmas and barriers individuals struggling with addiction or substance-use face in our society
- Identify the biological, psychological, sociological, and other risk factors that contribute to substance-use disorders
- Discuss how psychological trauma and genetics contribute to substance-use disorders
- Discuss techniques to prevent overdose, infection, injury, and other harms
- Understand the opioid crisis and the history of addiction in North America
- Discuss the common substances and factors that can cause an overdose
- Recognize the effects of opioids, stimulants, cholinergic, and anticholinergic
- Practice how to recognize and respond to an overdose
- Effectively use, oxygen and Narcan/Naloxone to reverse a suspected opioid overdose
- Understanding and the role of harm reduction in preserving life during recovery
- Identify appropriate resources for harm reduction and overdose prevention
Acute Psychosis & Emotional Crisis (1.5 hours)
Participants in this workshop will gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Recognize the spectrum of signs/symptoms for acute psychosis, drug-induced psychosis, and psychosis-related disorders
- Recognize the effects on emotion/motivation, thinking/perception, and behavioural changes
- Understand the history of psychiatry and treatment of those living with psychosis
- Understand the possible causes and risk factors associated with psychosis
- Understand the complexity of diagnosis and cultural perspectives
- Review the myths surrounding violence and other stigmas associated with people who suffer from these conditions
- Assess risk of harm to self or others
- Effectively communicate to build trust and connection with someone in crisis
- Exercise non-judgmental listening and de-escalation techniques
- Creating a safe and supportive environment in workplaces or communities
- How to address hallucinations, delusions, distressing topics
- What you should avoid doing or saying when assisting someone who is in psychosis
- How to connect them with appropriate professional resources
- Empower an individual with healthy self-care tools, coping techniques, and other resources
- Identify what treatments and resources are available for someone suffering from psychosis-related disorder
Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention (2 hours)
Participants in this workshop will gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Recognize various signs and symptoms of psychological crisis
- Learn the 5 common human responses to crisis and overwhelming stress
- Assess risk of harm to the individual in crisis, yourself, and others
- Recognize signs that someone is having thoughts or ideations about suicide
- Learn how to effectively build trust through understanding and active listening
- Increase confidence in building a safety plan to disarm the individuals means of acting on suicidal ideations, while promoting autonomy
- Understand how to apply the SAFER model to someone in crisis (Assisting Individuals in Crisis – 5th Edition, Everly, 2017, pg. 40)
- Discuss and use techniques to meet basic needs of someone lacking stability
- Understand the importance of acknowledging the crisis through normalization
- Apply techniques of active listening to facilitate trust and understanding
- Discuss healthy and effective coping techniques for acute stress
- Recognize when appropriate referrals should be made for professional help
- Build confidence in your ability to facilitate recovery and access to local resources (websites, phone lines, mobile response teams, etc.)
Cannabis Harm Reduction & Education (1.5 hours)
Participants in this workshop will gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Discuss cannabis and the human endocannabinoid system
- Understand the effects of the common cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis
- Identify slang terms and the evolution of cannabis in western society
- Understand the history of social policy, legislation, and the “War On Drugs”
- Discuss the effects of legalization in Canada and the United States
- Identify risk factors that contribute to negative side effects
- Identify protective factors that reduce negative side effects
- Discuss the risks of using cannabis during adolescent development
- Recognize the difference of recreational and therapeutic cannabis use
- Learn the potential harms of misuse and unregulated cannabis
- Reduce stigma for medical cannabis users by understanding its role in treating certain conditions (chronic pain, PTSD, insomnia, etc.)
- Recognize the signs that you or someone else is experiencing dependence
- Manage psychological or physical distress in an individual who has consumed too much THC (panic attacks, dizziness, paranoia, disorientation, drowsiness)
- Discuss the different consumption methods (smoking, vaporizing, edibles)
- Identify specific populations that are at risk of adverse reactions
- Apply harm reduction practices for yourself or others who use cannabis
Contact jmitchell.services@gmail.com to book training or consultation services!
