Mental Health First Aid - Certification Day 1
Date and Time
Location
In person event. Details to be emailed closer to the event.
Details
Do you sometimes worry you wouldn’t know what to say or do if a colleague, student, friend, or family member were in mental distress or crisis? Developed by the Mental Health Commission Canada, the two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification course is designed to give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to respond supportively.
MHFA has been updated to follow a similar certification model as physical first aid, making it the first of its kind: a practical, recognized program to equip participants to respond to mental health and substance-use challenges with confidence. Participants who complete the training will receive a certification, valid for 3 years.
MHFA equips participants to recognize early signs of mental health decline and crisis, respond empathetically, and offer practical support until professional help is available.
In this training, you will learn to:
- Support people experiencing early signs of mental health decline
- Recognize and respond to crises, including suicide risk, psychosis, and substance-use emergencies
- Use the ALGES framework to approach, listen, reassure, and connect people to help
- Communicate effectively and compassionately
- Practice self-care while supporting others
What you get:
- A nationally recognized MHFA certification valid for 3 years (upon successful completion and assessment)
- Increased confidence and skills to provide stigma-free support to colleagues, students, friends, or family
The following training is 2 full days. Dates include:
- 9:00 am-4:30 pm March 11, 2026; and
- 9:00 am-4:30 pm March 18, 2026
Participants must attend both full days to receive their certification.
Registration
Recommended for: This training is ideal for employees who want to contribute to a safer, more supportive community by learning how to recognize and respond to mental health and substance-use challenges, including in moments of crisis.
As U of G begins offering the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification, we will be looking at representation across the institution to ensure employees in various roles and departments complete this training, similarly to physical first aid. Our goal is to equip staff and faculty with the knowledge and skills to provide supportive, stigma-free assistance to colleagues or students if mental health or substance-use support is ever needed.