Mental Health First Aid Training
Skills-Based Training to Support Mental Wellness and Prevent Substance Use Risk
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training
Herren Project is proud to offer evidence-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, led by certified MHFA instructors. We provide MHFA courses for schools, nonprofits, coalitions, and youth-serving organizations to help adults recognize early warning signs of mental health and substance use challenges, respond with confidence and compassion, and connect people to appropriate support before a crisis.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Just like CPR or physical first aid, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a skills-based training that teaches people how to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.
After completing a Mental Health First Aid training, participants will have learned how to:
- Recognize signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
- Listen and respond in a supportive, nonjudgmental way.
- Encourage professional help and self-help.
- Use a 5-step action plan in both everyday and crisis situations.
Participants who complete the course receive a three-year certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Why Mental Health First Aid Matters?
Bringing Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to your school, organization, or coalition helps you:
- Build a more informed and compassionate community.
- Strengthen your prevention and early intervention efforts.
- Increase staff and volunteer confidence in supporting someone in distress.
- Align with grant-funded prevention goals and reporting requirements.
- Create consistent language and a shared framework around mental health.
Herren Project’s instructors are certified in Adult, Youth, and teen Mental Health First Aid and bring deep experience in prevention, education, and recovery support.
Adult Mental Health First Aid
For adults, supporting other adults like educators, staff, caregivers, and community leaders. Adult MHFA teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use challenges in adults.
- Format: Blended – 2 hours self-paced online + 5 hours instructor-led (in-person or virtual)
- Schedule: One 5-hour session or two 2.5-hour sessions
- Investment: $125 per participant
Youth Mental Health First Aid
For adults who work with youth like teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, nonprofit staff, and parents. Youth MHFA prepares adults to support young people who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges.
- Format: Blended – 2 hours self-paced online + 5 hours instructor-led (in-person or virtual)
- Schedule: One 5-hour session or two 2.5-hour sessions
- Investment: $125 per participant
teen teen Mental Health First Aid
For high school students in grades 9–12 or ages 14–18. teen MHFA teaches young people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in their friends and how to seek help from a trusted adult.
- Format: In-person or virtual
- Schedule: Six 45-minute sessions or three 90-minute sessions
- Investment: $85 per participant
How to Get Started
- Connect With our Team
Fill out our Training Request form to share a bit about your school, organization, or coalition and your prevention and wellness goals. One of our trained Mental Health First Aid trainers will contact you within 48 hours. - Choose Your Course and Format
Together, we will help you decide whether Adult, Youth, or teen MHFA, or a combination, best fits your audience. We will also help you select in-person or virtual delivery. - Schedule and Promote
We’ll work with you to choose dates, set registration, and provide sample language to share with participants, along with materials you can use to invite them. - Train and Follow-Up
Our certified instructors will deliver the training and provide participants with certification and resources for ongoing support and implementation.
Ready to Bring Mental Health First Aid to Your Community?
Let’s work together to equip your community with the skills to support mental wellness and reduce the risks connected to substance use. Whether you are a school, nonprofit, coalition, or youth-serving organization, we can help you design a training plan that fits your goals and capacity.
Herren Project offers national outreach, with trainings available virtually and in select in-person locations.
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Email: [email protected]
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Request a Training
What Participants are Saying
“This course is not only helping me reflect as an educator, but also as a parent, friend, and for my own self-awareness.”
— Adult MHFA Participant“Becoming a teen Mental Health First Aider has really opened my eyes to what my peers might be going through. I’ve learned how to support friends who might be struggling, and now I feel more confident stepping in when someone needs help.”
— teen MHFA Participant
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who should attend these trainings?
A: MHFA is designed for anyone who interacts with others, educators, school staff, coaches, youth workers, coalition members, parents, caregivers, and community leaders. No prior mental health background is required.
Q2. Do participants receive a certification?
A: Yes. Participants who complete the full course receive a three-year Mental Health First Aid certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Q3. Can we host a virtual training?
A: Yes. Adult and Youth MHFA are available in a blended format, with online self-paced learning and live instructor-led sessions delivered in-person or virtually. teen MHFA can be delivered in person or virtually, based on your school or organization’s needs.
Q4. How many participants can attend?
A: Class size is typically up to 30 participants per training to maintain interaction and quality. If you have a larger group, we can talk about multiple sessions.
Q5. Can we use grant funding to support MHFA?
A: In many cases, yes. Mental Health First Aid aligns well with local, state, and federal prevention and wellness grants. Our team can help you think through how MHFA fits into your prevention strategy and reporting.
