Burke offers mental health first aid to provide East Texans with skills so that they may help someone who may be in crisis or showing the signs of mental illness.
Participants are trained on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use.
Why is it Important?
Mental illness is common. One in five adults experiences mental illness in a given year. Mental Health First Aid gives participants the tools they need to help friends, family, colleagues, and community members who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
What Will I Learn?
- Warning signs, symptoms, and risk factors.
- Information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and substance use.
- A 5-step action plan to help someone in crisis or showing signs of mental illness.
- Professional and self-help resources.
Course Types
Adult Mental Health First Aid is for anyone who wants to learn how to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis or showing early signs and symptoms.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is for anyone who works with youth ages 12-18. Instructors review the unique risk factors and warning signs for this age group. Instruction emphasizes the importance of early intervention and covers how adults can help youth experiencing a mental health issue or crisis.
Who Should Take Mental Health First Aid?
Anyone who wants to ready themselves to help others in crisis should take Mental Health First Aid.
- Teachers, school administrators, school security staff
- College and university faculty and staff
- Human resources professionals
- Health care providers, nurses, emergency room staff, EMS personnel, and first responders
- Law enforcement and court staff
- Members of faith communities
- Social service staff and volunteers
- Parents, grandparents, and foster parents
Continuing Education Units are available for educators, counselors, social workers, and law enforcement.
How Do I Register?
At this time courses are offered virtually and registration is open to any organization or member of the community. The courses are free of charge by Burke as part of our mental health awareness campaign. Please contact us for more information on how to register for a course.
What will the course include?
Youth: First Aiders will complete a 2-hour, self-paced online class, and then participate in a 4.5-hour, Instructor-led videoconference.
For more information on the youth course, download this document.
Adult: First Aiders will complete a 2-hour, self-paced online class, and then participate in a 6.5-hour, Instructor-led videoconference.
For more information about Mental Health First Aid visit mentalhealthfirstaid.org.
