Mental Health First Aid
May 11, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
May 12, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Participants must attend both days to receive credit
Program: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an interactive 12-hour training course designed to increase
mental health literacy. Like CPR training helps a nonmedical professional assist an individual following a heart
attack, MHFA training helps an individual without clinical training to assist someone experiencing a mental
health crisis. In both situations the goal is to help support an individual until appropriate professional help
arrives, with the added underlying intention to promote health literacy. Mental Health First Aiders learn to
apply a single strategy in helping someone through a panic attack, engage with someone who may be suicidal,
support a person experiencing psychosis, and help an individual who has overdosed. In practicing the
intervention strategy, Mental Health First Aiders learn the risk factors and warning signs of specific illnesses
such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addiction; engage in experiential activities that build
understanding of the impact of illness; and learn information about evidence-based treatment and support,
ultimately building the participant’s “mental health literacy.”
At the completion of the Mental Health First Aid course, the participant will be able to:
 list potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including
depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, eating disorders, substance use
disorders, and self-injury;
 implement a five-step action plan encompassing the skills, resources, and knowledge to assess the
situation; select and implement appropriate interventions; and help the individual in crisis connect with
appropriate professional care;
 recognize the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the US and the need for reduced stigma
in his/her community; and
 recommend the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to assist
someone with a mental health problem treat and manage the problem and achieve recovery.
Instructor:
Jen Bankard directs training and resource development for PCPA. Her professional career has
been in the human service field, beginning in direct care supporting children and adults with
developmental disabilities before moving into administration. She is certified by the National
Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare as a Mental Health First Aid instructor. She lives in
Hershey and is active in local theatre.
Target Audience:
 friends and family of individuals with mental illness or addiction,
 direct service professionals,
 family living providers,
 foster families,
 service/supports coordinators,
 human resource professionals,
 administrative support professionals,
 school employees,
 faith communities,
 nursing home employees,
 police officers and other emergency responders, and
 college/university resident assistants.
Cost (does not include lunch):
PCPA Members: $89
PCPA Member Group Rate*: $79
Non-Members: $129
Non-Member Group Rate*: $119
*To qualify for a group discount, at least two people must be registered from the same organization and all
registrations must be received at the same time.
There is an additional $30 fee for continuing education credits. See below for additional continuing education
information. Scholarship recipients are responsible for continuing education fees.
All participants receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of a post-test and course evaluation.
A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. A completed application (below)
must be returned by April 29 for consideration. Employees of PCPA member organizations are
eligible to apply for a full scholarship; non-members may apply for partial scholarships.
Location:
Pennsylvania Community Providers Association
Bldg 3, Ste 200
2101 N Front St
Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-362-3280
http://www.paproviders.org/Pages/about_directions.shtml
Registration Deadline: May 6
Please Note: Participants are asked to bring lunch on May 11. A kitchen facility will be provided. Participants
will have the option of ordering a take-out lunch at personal expense.
Contact Person: More information is available by contacting Jen Bankard, director of training and resource
development (717-364-3280 or jen@paproviders.org).
Continuing Education Credits
PCPA is proud to serve its membership by offering continuing education credits in conjunction with Drexel University
College of Medicine, Division of Behavioral Healthcare Education, Department of Psychiatry. A certification fee of $30 is
charged for each type of continuing education credits requested. Payment for continuing education must be completed
upon registration. Participants may not be invoiced for CEUs post-training. Participants who desire CEUs are required to
complete and return a post-test, evaluation form and license information.
LSW/LCSW/LPC/MFT (PA SBSWE Licensed Social Workers in Pennsylvania): Drexel University College of
Medicine is a preapproved provider of continuing education for Social workers and Clinical Social Workers. This program is
being offered for 12 hours of continuing education.
PA Educators Act 48: Drexel University College of Medicine, Behavioral Healthcare Education is recognized by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer continuing education credits under Act 48 guidelines. Drexel University
College of Medicine, Behavioral Healthcare Education adheres to Act 48 Continuing Education Guidelines. PA educators
will receive 12 hours of credit for attending this complete program.
PCB (PA Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC), Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional (CCDP) and
CCDP-D (Diplomate): Drexel University College of Medicine will award a maximum of 12 hours of PCB Approved Hours
of Education for participants attending the conference. Our program is certified by the Pennsylvania Certification Board,
Provider # 133.
PA Nurses: Drexel University College of Medicine, Behavioral Healthcare Education is an approved provider of continuing
nursing education by the PA State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing
Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Participants will be
awarded a maximum of 12 contact hours for attending this program.
About Drexel University College of Medicine, Behavioral Healthcare Education
Behavioral Healthcare Education (BHE) was established in 1980 with contractual funding from what is now the
Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The purpose of its creation was to turn clinical
knowledge from biological and programmatic research into information and skills that are directly useful to practitioners in
the behavioral health fields, particularly those working with persons in the public and Medicaid managed care arenas who
have serious and persistent mental disorders. Since that time BHE has added expertise in the areas of substance use
disorders, mental retardation/developmental disabilities, and child and adolescent diagnoses and treatment. The mission
of the Division of Behavioral Healthcare Education is to support behavioral health practitioners in providing high quality
services to people of all ages. We fulfill this mission through delivering continuing education, consultation, technical
assistance and conferences, using evidence-based and promising practices, research findings and program and policy
advances.
Mental Health First Aid USA has been approved by the Society for Human Resource Management’s
HR Certification Institute as a pre-approved provider of 12 general Recertification Credit Hours. The
Recertification Credit Hours apply to the Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior
Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)
certifications. There is no charge for this type of credit hour. The use of this seal is not an
endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this
program has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.
Mental Health First Aid
May 11, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
May 12, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Participants must attend both days to receive credit
Registration Form
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
Title: ____________________________________ Agency: _________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________________________________________________
State: ___________________
Zip: ____________________ Phone: ______________________
Fax: ____________________
Email: _______________________________________________
Special Accommodations: ______________________________________________________________
□ PCPA Member
□ Non-member
If multiple persons are registering from the same agency, please attach a separate form for each individual.
Method of Payment:
□ Check (made payable to PCPA)
□ Visa
□ MasterCard
Name of Cardholder: _____________________________ Card Number: ______________________________
Exp: _ _ /_ _
CVV Code: _ _ _
Billing Zip Code: _ _ _ _ _
PCPA Members: $89
Non-Members: $129
PCPA Member Group Rate*: $79
Non-Member Group Rate*: $119
*To qualify for a group discount, at least two people must be registered from the same organization and all registrations
must be received at the same time.
Registration Fee:
$ ___________
CEU Fee (add $30 per CEC type, if requested):
$ ___________
Total Enclosed:
$ ___________
Registration deadline is May 6. Registration is not complete and will not be processed without payment.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations are accepted, less a $25 administrative fee, until May 6. Substitutions are welcome.
Return to:
PCPA
Bldg 3, Ste 200
2101 N Front St, Harrisburg, PA 17110
ATTN: Jen Bankard
Fax: 717-364-3287
jen@paproviders.org
Mental Health First Aid Scholarship Application
May 11-12, 2011
Please note: Employees of PCPA member organizations are eligible to apply for a full scholarship; non-members may
apply for partial scholarships.
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
Title: ____________________________________ Agency: _________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________________________________________________
State: ___________________
Zip: ____________________ Phone: ______________________
Fax: ____________________
Email: _______________________________________________
□ PCPA Member
□ Non-member
Amount of Support Requested: $ _______
To be completed by applicant
Why are you requesting scholarship assistance?
How will Mental Health First Aid training assist you in your current position?
Applicant Signature: ______________________________________________________________________
To be completed by applicant’s CEO/executive director
How will your organization benefit from the applicant attending Mental Health First Aid training?
CEO/Executive Director Signature: __________________________________________________________
Return no later than April 29 to:
PCPA, ATTN: Jen Bankard
Bldg 3, Ste 200, 2101 N Front St, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Fax: 717-364-3287
jen@paproviders.org
Applicants will be notified no later than May 4 of scholarship availability.