In response to our nation’s mental health crisis, 4-H will bring Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to Placer, Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba Counties on three training dates (August 24 and 25, October 19 and 20, and November 16 and 17). This groundbreaking skills-based course teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health or substance use challenges. Similar to physical First Aid and CPR, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a crisis until professional assistance is obtained, or the crisis is resolved.

One in five Americans has experienced a mental health challenge, but many are reluctant to seek help or don’t know where to turn for care. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges can be difficult to see. Friends and family members may find it hard to know when and how to step in. As a result, those in need of mental health services often do not receive care until it is too late.

Mental Health First Aiders learn a 5-step Action Plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support.

“It’s never been more important for our communities to talk about mental health and substance use,” says Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. in 2008.

“Mental Health First Aid is breaking down barriers and stigma so that together we can learn how to better support one another. Without mental health, there is no health.”

Since its introduction, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement! More than 3 million people in the United States are trained by thousands of certified Instructors, and that number is growing every day.

Below is information on how you can participate in one of these upcoming Mental Health First Aid training in Placer, Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba Counties:

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid: August 24 and 25, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid: October 19 and 20, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
  • Adult Mental Health First Aid: November 16 and 17, 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom

Register online at: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=41051

About Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training program administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that teaches individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. More than three million people across the United States have been trained in MHFA by thousands of dedicated Instructors.