*Full* YMHFA Instructor Training (Grant funded)

Seats for this training will become available at 9:00AM on March 31st.

 

PLEASE READ ALL INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS BEFORE REGISTERING. We ask that you set aside 20-30 minutes to complete the instructor application.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is specifically designed for adults who assist youth ages 10-18 years old and is great for parents, school staff, officers, youth group leaders, and other community members who work with children and adolescents.

This international public awareness curriculum works to destigmatize conversations around mental health while providing a tangible action plan for adults to address crisis and non-crisis mental health situations – much like CPR/first aid supports physical health situations. MHFA is proven to increase the likelihood of bystander ‘helping’ behaviors, but also increases the learners own mental health literacy. Win-win!

Instructor training teaches someone how to deliver a Mental Health First Aid class in their own community or workplace.

Instructor candidates attend a multiday training which prepares them to facilitate either the Adult or Youth Mental Health First Aid course. Successful accreditation is not guaranteed, instructor candidates must attend the entire training and demonstrate their ability to facilitate a designated section of the course material to national standards.

Already an instructor? Consider dual certification to teach both the adult and youth courses.

Training Includes…

• Physical materials and teaching kit
• 8-hours of self-paced prework
• 3-days of live, online instruction
• Postwork with optional self-paced module for in-person instruction
• Ongoing instructor support through the Mental Health Association of Maryland

Please note…

1. It is HIGHLY recommended that a candidate attends a Mental Health First Aid class prior to enrolling in instructor training.
2. That all instructors are required to conduct classes in alignment to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing standards of fidelity. Instructors are required to teach three times per year to maintain their certification.
3. Attendance in class does not guarantee successful completion of the training program. An unsatisfactory score during Day 3 Teachback Presentations may result in provisional or non-certified status.
4. If candidates miss more than 45-minutes of instruction, they cannot be certified.
5. A Mental Health First Aid class contains 5-6 hours of content, not including breaks. This will require instructor candidates to study and practice the materials beyond the 3-day instructor training. To become proficient in teaching, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing recommends an extra 40-hours of review prior to teaching. This time commitment may differ between instructors, but please keep this in mind as you move forward with this training.
6. While there are no additional fees associated with staying accredited to teach Mental Health First Aid, there is a per participant cost of materials for each class. This fee varies from $20-30 depending on delivery method (virtual or in-person) and material package (full Processing Guide or key pages).

MHFA Instructor Training is valued at $2,200 across the country and is available FOR FREE in a limited capacity to Maryland residents through a generous grant provided by the Anne Arundel County Local Behavioral Health Administration.

By becoming a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, you will be qualified to teach this curriculum anywhere in the country. The Mental Health Association of Maryland does not provide regular teaching opportunities to instructors. Instructors are being trained to conduct classes independently throughout their communities.

If you have questions about the curriculum or training program, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. Still have questions? Email MHFATraining@mhamd.org.