Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Approximately 1 in 5 Americans experience a mental health or addiction disorder each year.  Do you know what to do when someone near you has a panic attack or is in crisis?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training program that teaches participants how to notice and support an individual who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use concern and connect them with appropriate employee and community resources.

MHFA is a skills-based, experiential, and evidence-based practice.
Participants learn a 5-step action plan that can be used to help those in need.Mental Health First Aid Logo

The 5-step action plan, ALGEE, includes:

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


Why Mental Health Matters in the Workplace

  • Approximately 10.8 million full-time workers have a substance use disorder.
  • As many as 35 million workdays are lost each year due to mental illness.
  • Untreated mental illness in the workplace costs businesses $105 billion each year – mostly due to lost productivity.

Training Formats:

The 8-hour course can be scheduled in 2 hour or greater blocks of time and held virtually or in-person to fit your needs.

  1. Virtual

    Participants complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, and then participate in a 6-hour, Instructor-led videoconference.

  2. Blended

    Participants complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course, and then participate in a 6-hour, in-person, Instructor-led class.

  3. In-person

    Participants take an 8-hour in-person, Instructor-led course.


MHFA in the Workplace can help

  • Reduce stigma
  • Increase employees’ mental health and substance use literacy
  • Increase likelihood that employees will reach out to someone who may be facing a mental health or substance use challenge
  • Teach employees how to connect a distressed person with the appropriate resources, in accordance with company policies

For more information on how MHFA can be customized for your organization, contact: Julie Kiehne, Winona State University Business Outreach Coordinator 507.457.5088 jkiehne@winona.edu