Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training program that teaches individuals how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges, behavioral health concerns, and substance use issues. Much like traditional first aid equips someone to assist with physical health emergencies, MHFA prepares and empowers people to provide initial support to someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis until appropriate professional help can be connected.

Who benefits from becoming certified?
MHFA certification is valuable for anyone who wants to build confidence in recognizing when someone may be struggling and learn how to respond with empathy, safety, and effectiveness. Educators, managers, community leaders, healthcare workers, first responders, parents, and peers often find the training especially useful, but anyone can benefit. Certification strengthens one’s ability to contribute to safer, more supportive environments at work, school, and in the community by reducing stigma, improving communication, and promoting early intervention.

These MHEAC-subsidized MHFA Trainings are only available to anyone who works with mental health services for higher education students in Illinois.