What you Learn
Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
Topics Covered
Mental Health First Aid teaches about recovery and resiliency – the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and use their strengths to stay well.
The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan
Assess for risk of suicide or harm
Listen non-judgmentally
Give reassurance and Information
Encourage appropriate professional help
Encourage self-help and other support strategies
Interventions Learned When you take a course, you learn how to apply the Mental Health First Aid action plan in a variety of situations, including when someone is experiencing:
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Teacher: Laura Andews
Laura Andrews is the Senior Outreach Services Coordinator for the Breaking Down Barriers program and a Mental Health First Aid Instructor with Mental Health America of San Diego County. She connects the Latino community to mental health services and advocates with local, state and national legislators to reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Her effectiveness to collaborate with other agencies, community groups, clients and their family members allowed for the opportunity to expand the services to six other culturally diverse populations. Laura Andrews researches mental health best practices and uses her expertise in behavioral health to train community stake holders.
Laura Andrews currently holds a seat on the San Ysidro Health Center Board of Directors. As a board member she participated as the secretary of the executive committee, financial committee, strategic planning committee and consumers committee. Miss Andrews’ work also includes serving as the secretary of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program of San Diego County Board a program funded by Home Land Security. Miss Andrews is an affiliate of the National Council of La Raza, Chairs the Latino Network Consortium, Mana of San Diego and other organizations that have taken on the challenge of eliminating health, education and economic disparities among Latinos. Among her many accomplishments include being one of four founding members of E 3 Civic High School located inside the new down town library, her work as a Healthy Families Electronic Application adviser to Governor Gray Davis and served as the Family Economic Support program director for the Bronze Triangle Community Development Corporation.