Mental Health First Aid 

Free Talks on Mental Health First Aid are public awareness program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental illnesses, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common supports. This is a 2-3 hour interaction with people from all sphere of social life including students, women, youth, working professionals etc. to make people understand how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect persons to the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care. The program also explains the common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses, like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

 

Mental Health First Aid teaches participants a five-step action plan, ALGEE, to support someone developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis:

1. A - Assess for risk of suicide or harm

2. L - Listen non-judgmentally

3. G - Give reassurance and information

4. E - Encourage appropriate professional help

5. E - Encourage self-help and other support strategies

 

Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. This First-Aid does not take on the role of professionals. Instead, the program offers concrete tools and answers key questions, like “what do I do?” and “where can someone find help?”