Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour instructor-led course that can teach you to identify the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use problems in students in your classroom or school.

This public education program introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews appropriate supports. The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect people to the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care. The program also teaches common risk factors and warning signs of specific illnesses like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia.

Mental Health First Aid is included on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).

The course is available at no cost to Texas public school teachers through your local mental health authority. At the completion of the course, you will receive a course manual to keep. Teachers can receive eight continuing professional education credits for the course by using the code 902219.

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