Mental Health First Aid Training Offered to Community
9/10/2024
By SPC Marketing
St. Petersburg College (SPC) offers Mental Health First Aid Training to public service professionals in five counties in response to our nation’s mental health crisis. The training is FREE thanks to support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Community Foundation Tampa Bay (CFTB).
This groundbreaking, skills-based course gives people the tools to identify, understand and respond to someone who might be struggling with a mental health or substance use challenge — and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
“This training has such a significant ripple effect. With participants feeling empowered and knowledgeable on how to help, we have seen that our Mental Health First Aiders on average use their skills to help at least two to four individuals in the first several months of taking the training. I have also been touched by many stories from our participants about how this training has had a positive impact on prioritizing their mental health,” said Joanna Corde, Project Coordinator.
Who uses Mental Health First Aid?
SPC began offering Mental Health First Aid trainings in 2020 in partnership with the Community Foundation Tampa Bay. Since the first class, the College has issued 2,313 certifications of completion. The training is an evidence-based course that teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to mental health and substance use challenges. Its goal is to empower an additional 4,238 key personnel in nonprofits, faith communities and other community settings to identify, understand, and respond to signs of addictions and mental health challenges.
The College provides training to key personnel working or volunteering in:
- Schools (K-12 or higher education)
- Emergency response (e.g., first responders)
- Health care
- Veterans’ organizations
- Faith-based organizations
- Nonprofits
St. Petersburg College offers two training options:
- Adult Mental Health First Aid (adult helping an adult)
- Youth Mental Health First Aid (adult helping an adolescent (12-18))
Where is the training available?
This training is available to organizations and individuals in the following counties in virtual and in-person formats.
- Pinellas
- Hillsborough
- Pasco
- Hernando
- Citrus
For registration and the discount code for free training, information, or questions, contact Joanna Corde, SPC’s ACT-TB Project Coordinator at corde.joanna@spcollege.edu or 727-341-3640.
Disclaimer: This product was developed [in part] under grant number 1H79SM084729 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.
