Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being that can often be misunderstood or overlooked. To increase awareness about mental health and highlight supportive resources, Balanced You has partnered with the National Council of Behavioral Health to offer Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings. These trainings are available to all County employees, free of charge.
As we continue to navigate the pandemic, the need for mental health awareness grows. Balanced You urges employees to consider participating in the Mental Health First Aid@Work training so we can all better support each other.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Like CPR and physical first aid, Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Participants will learn the common risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder. The program offers concrete tools and answers key questions like, “What do I do?” and, “Where can someone find help?”
What will I learn?
You will learn how to support an individual who may be experiencing mental illness and connect them to available resources internal and external of the workplace. You will not learn to diagnose, or how to provide any therapy or counseling. Rather, you will have an opportunity increase awareness and practice skills including empathetic listening and assessing for risk.
Each Mental Health First Aid training will be focused on:
- Increasing awareness about mental health while reducing misunderstandings and myths.
- Recognizing the potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
- Practicing Mental Health First Aid exercises including assessing for risk and non-judgmental listening.
- Using a five-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate help.
The below schedule includes two options. Employees can sign up to take one session that lasts four hours or two sessions that last 2 hours. If signing up for the two hour sessions, remember to sign up for both parts. Each participant will then receive virtual training materials and an entry and exit survey to complete.
Upcoming Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings
| Training | Date/Time |
| FULL | Thursday, February 25, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm |
| FULL | Thursday, March 11, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| FULL | Wednesday, April 7, 1 – 5 p.m. |
| FULL | Thursday, May 6, 9-11am and 12-2pm |
| FULL | Friday, May 21, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| PAST | Monday, June 14, 1 – 5 p.m. |
| FULL | Thursday, July 15, 8 a.m. -12 p.m. |
| FULL | Tuesday, September 14, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. |
| FULL | Wednesday, September 29, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| FULL | Thursday, October 14, 1 -5 p.m. |
| FULL | Monday, November 15, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| FULL | Monday, December 9, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
Additional trainings are being coordinated for 2022. Contact Balanced You with any questions or feedback at balancedyou@kingcounty.gov. We look forward to continuing the conversation.
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