MSU Extension Mental Health First Aid

The process for recertification has been recently updated. There are two options to re-certify for both Adult and Youth MHFA. The first option is to take an online, self-paced recertification course through the Connect learning management system. This option is only available if your certification has not yet expired. The second option is to retake the entire course. This option is for those whose certifications have expired or who wish to have a more in-depth refresher of the materials. For more information about eligibility for and accessing the online, self-paced recertification course review the information below.

• Eligibility Requirements for online, self-paced recertification course in Connect

• You were trained online using the Connect learning management system, which was October 2021 or later. You will receive an automated email from the National Mental Health First Aid team 30 days before your certification expires as a reminder to do so. To be eligible for the shortened recertification option, you must re-certify within 90 days of your expiration date. If you miss the 90-day window, you will have to retake the entire course to renew your certification.  For further instructions on accessing the recertification course when it is time to do so, visit: https://thenationalcouncilhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/17490666950555-

• You were trained online between January and October 2021 using the Cornerstone system. Your coursework from Cornerstone may have already been moved over to Connect. If you are unsure of how to access Connect or if your certification expiration date is soon and you have not received a notice from the National MHFA team, please contact them directly for assistance with accessing the Connect recertification course at Hello@MentalHealthFirstAid.org. If you do not recertify within 90 days of your certification expiring, which is occurring in 2024, you will have to take the entire course again to renew your certification. 

• You were originally trained in-person before the COVID-19 shutdown AND you re-certified using the online self-paced course through Relias Academy in 2022, 2023, or early 2024. You will not receive a reminder from the National MHFA team when it is time to recertify. Contact them directly at Hello@MentalHealthFirstAid.org about a month before your certification expires for assistance in accessing the shortened renewal course in Connect. You will have a 90-day window to recertify after your most recent certification expires. If you miss that window, you will have to retake the entire course to renew your certificate. 

• NOT Eligible for the online, self-paced recertification in Connect

• You were trained in-person before the COVID-19 shutdown (2008 - early 2020) AND have not re-certified since then. Since your certification expired more than 90 days ago, you will have to retake the whole course to renew your certification. Find upcoming MSU Extension courses at: Mental Health First Aid at MSU Extension

How long is the Mental Health First Aid training? 

Adult

The Adult Mental Health First Aid curriculum includes 2 hours of online self-paced pre-work, which can be completed at any point after registration up to the Friday before the instructor led session. The instructor led session is an 8-hour day that includes a 15-minute morning break, a 30-minute lunch, and a 15-minute afternoon break. Typically, the instructor-led session starts at 8:30 A.M. ET and ends at 4:30 P.M. ET. Learners must also complete some follow-up work in order to receive their certificate. This generally takes about 30 minutes to complete and can be completed at any time following the instructor led session.  

Please note that some adult courses are now being offered over 2 days. These courses will be about 4 hours each training day and each day must be attended for certification. We are unable to reschedule participants to a separate course to make-up a missed training day. 

Youth

The Youth MHFA curriculum includes 2 hours of online self-paced pre-work, which participants must complete before the class day, and then 6.5 hours of instructor led material including a short morning break, a 30-minute lunch, and a short afternoon break. Typically, the instructor-led session starts at 8:30 A.M ET and ends at 3:00 P.M. ET. Learners must also complete some follow-up work in order to receive their certificate. This generally takes about 30 minutes to complete and can be completed at any time following the instructor led session.

Teen

The Teen MHFA curriculum is only offered in-person and is done through an agreement with a school or other youth-serving organization. This training can be split into 3, 90 minute sessions or 6, 45 minutes sessions. Please contact Kea Norrell-Aitch at kea@msu.edu for further questions on the timing of this curriculum. 

How much does the Mental Health First Aid course cost? 

Adult Mental Health First Aid costs $45.00 per person.

Youth Mental Health First Aid- Virtual costs $36.00 per person.

Youth Mental Health First Aid- In-person costs $46.00 per person.

Teen Mental Health First Aid costs $46.00 per person. 

What is the cancellation policy?

For the Adult Mental Health First Aid course starting July of 2023

• Cancel on or before the course's registration deadline - FULL REFUND of $45
• Cancel after the course's registration deadline - NO REFUND
  • Failure to complete the pre-work by 12 p.m. (noon) ET the Friday before the course without approval for an extension will result in cancellation.
  • Failure to attend at least 90% of the instructor-led session will result in cancellation.

If Michigan State University Extension cancels the course due to low enrollment or instructor emergency, every registered individual will receive a full refund of $45.00.

Exceptions to this cancellation policy may be made at the discretion of the course instructors.

For the Youth Mental Health First Aid course:

• For external partners, cancellation policies differ per the service agreement. 
• For internal trainings, MSU employees can cancel up to 1 business day before the training begins.

For the Teen Mental Health First Aid course:

• Cancellation policies will differ per the service agreement. 

What is the Connect learning system?

The Connect learning system is the website used by Mental Health First Aid USA and Youth Mental Health First Aid USA for learners to complete the self-paced portion of the course and access the instructor led session supplemental materials. For Adult MHFA, participant Connect accounts will be created on their behalf and they will receive login information via an email from the MHFA team. Participants will still be responsible for logging into Connect prior to their instructor-led course in order to complete their pre-work by the due date. For Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid, find information about accessing the Connect system in the registration form and emails from the course instructors. For all courses, access to Connect is part of the registration fee and learners will have access to the Connect account and all the materials within for the duration of the certification.

What is the pre-work on Connect? (Adult and Youth)

Pre-work consists of approximately 2 hours of videos, short knowledge checks, and readings that help prepare the learner to successfully engage in the instructor led session. There are 9 modules in Connect that must be marked as complete by the deadline listed in a course's registration form. Complete pre-work is 69% completion in the Connect system. 

Pre-work does not have to be completed all at once. A learner's progress will be saved and work can be resumed at a later time. If a learner were to complete pre-work for one course and then move to a different course, the pre-work can be transferred in some circumstances. Ask your course instructors for more details.

The pre-work for Youth Mental Health First Aid and Adult Mental Health First Aid are different. If you are already certified in one, you must still complete the pre-work again for the other course.  

What is the Mental Health First Aid certification good for? 

Adult Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to respond appropriately to mental health challenges and crises observed in adult neighbors, coworkers, clients, family members, and strangers in everyday life similar to how a physical first aid/CPR course prepares learners to respond to physical health emergencies. Mental Health First Aid does not replace or supersede any professional degrees or workplace obligations. Mental Health First Aid is not counseling or therapy nor does it train learners to be counselors. Mental Health First Aid certification can be a good supplement to professional mental health training or be a stand-alone certification to improve one’s own mental health knowledge and skills to help other adults in their community and social networks.  

Youth Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to respond appropriately to mental health challenges and crises observed in any youth 12-18 years old they may know or encounter, similar to how a physical first aid/CPR course prepares learners to respond to physical health emergencies. Youth Mental Health First Aid does not replace or supersede any professional degrees or workplace obligations. Youth Mental Health First Aid is not counseling or therapy nor does it train learners to be youth counselors. Youth Mental Health First Aid certification can be a good supplement to professional mental health training or be a stand-alone certification to improve one’s own mental health knowledge and skills to help youth in their community and social networks.

Teen Mental Health First Aid prepares teenagers (15-18) to respond appropriately to mental health challenges and crises observed among their peers. There is an emphasis on knowing when a situation requires assistance from a trusted adult and how the teen can help their peer in the meantime. This program is only delivered in conjunction with adults that are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid and are equipped to assist teens learning the curriculum. As with other versions of Mental Health First Aid, this training does not act as counseling or therapy for the teens participating.

How long does my certification last? 

Both Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid certifications are valid 3 years from the date of certification. 

Teen Mental Health First Aid certification would last as long as the teen is still within the ages of 15-18. Once a teen turns 18, they are eligible for the Youth or Adult Mental Health First Aid courses. 

How do I access my certificate?

After completing the pre-work, attending the instructor led session, and completing a few post-work items in Connect, you are able to download your Mental Health First Aid certificate from Connect. In order for your certificate to be available, your course must be marked at 100% completion. 

Do I have to sign up as part of a group or can I sign up individually? 

Michigan State University Extension is currently offering the majority of Adult Mental Health First Aid courses in open formats only, meaning that anyone from the community can sign-up. Trainings for specific groups (closed trainings) are being offered on a limited basis. If you are part of a group or organization, we recommend signing up for courses early so that each of your members can attend the classes desired. If you would like to inquire about the possibility of an in-person course, please email Carly Sandoval at glunzcar@msu.edu.

Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid are currently being offered via closed courses through service agreements with organizations. If your organization is interested in Youth or Teen Mental Health First Aid training please contact Kea Norrell-Aitch at kea@msu.edu for information on setting up a training. 

Where can I find the course dates? 

Check the "Adult" tab on our website for Adult Mental Health First Aid course dates. You can also search Michigan State University Extension's Event page at the following link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/events 

Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid are only being offered by arrangement with external organizations. If your organization would like to schedule a training with our team please contact Kea Norrell-Aitch at kea@msu.edu. If you are a community member not associated with an organization who would like to participate in Youth Mental Health First Aid, please visit Mental Health First Aid's "Find a Course" website to find an available, open training. This website can be accessed at the following link: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/find-a-course/

Is the course offered online or in-person? 

Adult

At this time, Michigan State University Extension is offering most Adult Mental Health First Aid courses as 100% virtual (online) trainings through Zoom and the Connect learning system. A limited number of blended (virtual pre-work with in-person instructor-led training) requests are being accepted at this time dependent on location and dates requested. Email Carly Sandoval at glunzcar@msu.edu for more information.  

Youth

Youth Mental Health First Aid is currently being offered either in a blended format (pre-work online through Connect learning system and instructor led day in-person) OR all virtual through Zoom and the Connect learning system. Course delivery format is decided based on the needs and wants of the organization and the availability of our instructors. 

Teen

Teen Mental Health First Aid is only offered in-person at this time but participants will still need access to the online Connect system for pre- and post-surveys as well as their certificate. 

What technology do I need to be able to complete the training? 

In order to successfully complete the Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid courses, you must have a device, such as a laptop, tablet, or desktop with a camera, that supports Zoom, has an Internet connection, working camera, working microphone, and working speakers. You must also have access to an email account for communication about your training. The pre-work and instructor-led portion of the course are not designed to be completed via cellphone/smartphone. 

What if I can’t attend a full day of training? 

The Mental Health First Aid program does not allow certification to anyone that completes less than 90% of the instructor led session. This equates to missing no more than 40 minutes of instruction time for the Adult MHFA course. If you foresee needing to be away from the training for more than 40 minutes we ask that you select an alternative date when you are able to attend the full duration of the training. 

Youth Mental Health First Aid participants must attend at least 90% of their instructor-led time whether it be online or in-person. Ask your course instructor for more details. 

Teen Mental Health First Aid participants must attend all of the scheduled in-person sessions to receive their certificate. There will often be a make-up session scheduled for participants who miss a session. Ask your course instructor for more details. 

How big are the classes? 

Adult

Michigan State University Extension has a limit of 30 participants for most Adult Mental Health First Aid courses. Adult Mental Health First Aid courses will be canceled, with a full refund for participants, if there are 3 or less participants registered by the time registration closes. 

Youth

Michigan State University Extension has a limit of 30 participants in our Youth Mental Health First Aid courses. Youth Mental Health First Aid courses will be canceled if there are less than 10 participants registered. 

Teen

Michigan State University Extension has a limit of 30 participants in our Teen Mental Health First Aid courses. Teen Mental Health First Aid courses will be rescheduled if there are less than 5 participants in attendance.  

Do I have to be 18 years old to take the class? 

In order to take the Adult Mental Health First Aid or Youth Mental Health First Aid courses you must be 18 years old on or before the date of your training.

Teen Mental Health First Aid is offered to grades 10-12 or ages 15-18 years. 

Does this course offer accommodations for physical and/or learning disabilities? 

Michigan State University Extension prohibits discrimination in employment and program access and participation on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or veteran status. Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be requested by contacting the event contact person at least two weeks prior to the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible. Please let us know how we can accommodate your physical and/or learning disability when filling out your registration form. Please email Cheryl Eschbach at cheryl@msu.edu for further questions on accommodations. 

Is Mental Health First Aid offered in any languages other than English? 

At this time, Michigan State University Extension does not offer Mental Health First Aid in any format in any language other than English. You can visit the Mental Health First Aid website at https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/ to find course offerings through other entities that may teach the Spanish version. Currently the U.S. curriculum of Mental Health First Aid is only offered in English and Spanish.