Get Trained in Mental Health First Aid

Kids need adults to be ready to help with the hurt.

Kids count on you to be ready.

Washburn Center’s Mental Health Awareness Training is one of the few to offer the latest training to strengthen community protective factors, offer early intervention and reduce risks for students facing mental health challenges. Thanks to a generous grant from SAMHSA, over 100 local educators, doctors, and therapists have received this training free of charge.

Upcoming FREE class dates:
– Tuesday, Feburary 25, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Youth Mental Health First Aid
– Friday, March 28, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Adult Mental Health First Aid
– Monday, April 14, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Youth Mental Health First Aid
– Monday, May 19, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Adult Mental Health First Aid

After the training, you will:
– know how to support a child who is in emotional distress
– understand how to recognize and interpret distress
– be prepared to support, de-escalate and triage kids acting out as a result of mental health challenges.

Sign me up for a FREE Mental Health First Aid learning session

Think this would be a good fit at your organization’s next training or event? Connect with Training Institute team to customize training for your organization.

Mental health is equally important to physical health.

Research tells us the two are inextricably linked in humans of all ages. In children and adolescents, stressors can affect developmental growth and learning.
– Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are consistently linked with negative physical and psychological health outcomes. From behavioral problems and cognitive difficulties, to greater chance of mental health diagnosis — children are at risk.
– Prolonged adversity means irreversible changes in the neurochemical systems too (Perry, 1994).
– Ultimately disruptions are noted in the neuroendocrine and the immune systems (Oral et al., 2016), for example, the overload of cortisol following activation of the HPA at first, that is then followed by lack of cortisol.

Responses tailored for them.

Kids don’t always have the skills and coping mechanisms to handle what life throws at them.

They need adults to respond. And, to do it calmly with the right skills and training.

They need adults who understand their response might be wrapped up in vulnerabilities that we can’t see. Or, developmentally they may not have the words to express fear, worry, anger… And, responses are influenced by previous experiences – that may push a kiddo to fight, flight, freeze.

Act now for the kids in your life