National Mental Health First Aid Training Certification

Exclusively for Lawyers, Law Students, Judges, and Other Legal Professionals in Massachusetts

Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers is excited to announce the first Mental Health First Aid certification virtual training open to the entire Massachusetts Legal Community. This program will be held on Friday, October 27, 2023 from 9am-3pm via zoom.

Space is limited to 30 so please register early! There is a $25 fee required by the Mental Health First Aid program to cover materials and registration. If you need financial assistance, please contact office@lclma.org.

Legal professionals often come into contact with clients and colleagues who are having mental health challenges. Learning how to respond to people when they are showing signs of a mental health challenge can be extremely valuable in terms of improving client attorney relationships and even positively affecting the outcome of cases when better understanding mental health challenges. In addition, this training can help support creating a compassionate workplace to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in colleagues and staff.

Mental Health First aid is skills-based training that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge in adults. The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it builds mental health literacy, providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental health or substance use challenge.

Mental Health First Aid was created in Australia in 2000 by two mental health researchers. In 2008, the National Council, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health brought Mental Health First Aid to the United States. It has been taught to thousands of participants across the United States working in business, human resources, public sector agencies, military, colleges and universities, law schools, and law firms.

Mental Health First Aid consists of 2-hours of self-paced content prior to the training – followed by 5.5 hours of instructor-led training on Zoom, as well as a final assessment you’ll need to pass in order to receive certification. There is a simple registration form to complete and you will be registered with National Counsel of Mental Wellbeing – Mental Health First Aid Training.

Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to: 

• Describe the purpose of Mental Health First Aid and the role of the Mental Health First Aider.
• Identify the impact of mental health challenges on the well-being of adults in the U.S.
• Explain that recovery from a mental health challenge is possible.
• Describe the principles of safety and privacy for both the Mental Health First Aider and the person receiving first aid.
• Explain the 5 steps of the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE).
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges that may impact adults.
• Evaluate the impact of early intervention on mental health challenges.
• Apply the appropriate steps of the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE)
  • when a person shows early signs of a mental health challenge.
  • when a person shows worsening signs of a mental health challenge.
  • to crisis situations.
• Choose appropriate methods for self-care following the application of Mental Health First Aid in a crisis or non-crisis situation.