Understanding Mental Health First Aid

Your Course Description

Your Competency Focus Area

Mental Health Basics

One in five youth between the ages of 13 to 18 have, or will develop, a serious mental illness per the National Institute of Mental Health. Any adult who works with young people needs to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.
Jade Schleif, YIPA’s training coordinator, sat down for a very informative conversation with Lee Berlinquette, National Trainer for Mental Health First Aid.
Lee shares her personal lived experience and deep professional knowledge to raise awareness about the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) movement.

Your Learning Objectives

Gain an understanding of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) movement and its benefits for youth work
Be able to distinguish Youth MHFA and Teen MHFA
Know how to become trained in and teach MHFA to other youth workers

Your Course Details

Completion Certificate
Youth Worker Track
This training will count as 1 CE hour for most boards. Please contact your board directly with questions on submitting. Course details for CE submissions provided.

Your Trainer

Lee Ann Berlinquette earned her degree in recreation and worked with varsity and intramural athletics and managed a college residence in Thunder Bay, Canada. Lee moved back to Duluth, Minnesota to continue her education in corrections and social work. She worked closely with law enforcement, probation, juvenile court systems, and social services to coordinate diversion programs specifically around juvenile offenders and truancy. She served on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Social Services Association and the Advisory Board for Corrections at Lake Superior College. Lee’s love of training began many years before becoming a national trainer for Mental Health First Aid. She’s trained over 500 youth-serving staff from Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota on topics like FA/CPR, mandated reporting, child passenger safety, and CPI. She continues to develop her own curriculum and contracts with various organizations to provide training.