Mental Health First Aid & QPR Training

Join the movement in Santa Barbara County to strengthen our community because we can all be more aware and informed.

calendar of trainings

Training empowers teens, parents, educators, first responders, and other caring adults with tools and strategies to create a safe and caring community. The #1 protective factor in youth mental health is a trusted adult. You can be that trusted adult who is trained with skills and knowledge about what to do and what to say. Trainings are hosted by FSA and YouthWell. (Provided in-person or virtually). **In 2024, YouthWell taught 800+ adults and students in Santa Barbara County.**

 

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Youth Mental Health First Aid is a FREE 6.5-hour certification course that teaches adults who work or live with youth between the ages of 12-18 how to help someone who may be developing a mental health challenge or coping with a worsening mental health challenge or substance abuse disorder. Participants learn how to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to signs of mental health challenges of varying intensity, as well as substance use disorders. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. (3 year certification).

 

Primeros Auxilios para la salud Mental de los Jóvenes es un curso de certificación GRATUITO de 6,5 horas que enseña a adultos que trabajan o viven con jóvenes de entre 12 y 18 años cómo ayudar a alguien que pueda estar desarrollando un problema de salud mental o lidiando con un problema de salud mental que empeora o un trastorno por abuso de sustancias. Los participantes aprenden a reconocer, comprender y responder adecuadamente a los signos de problemas de salud mental de diversa intensidad, así como a los trastornos por uso de sustancias. El curso presenta desafíos comunes de salud mental para los jóvenes, revisa el desarrollo típico de los adolescentes y enseña un plan de acción de cinco pasos sobre cómo ayudar a los jóvenes en situaciones de crisis y no crisis. Los temas cubiertos incluyen ansiedad, depresión, uso de sustancias, trastornos en los que puede ocurrir psicosis, trastornos de conducta disruptiva (incluido el TDA/H) y trastornos alimentarios. (certificación de 3 años). Formación en español disponible. CONSULTA AQUÍ

 

QPR [Question, Persuade, and Refer ] is a FREE 2-hour suicide prevention training for participants to learn about community resources in Santa Barbara County and be able to recognize the warning signs of suicide - and question, persuade, and refer people to services who are at risk. (2 year certification)

 

INQUIRE ABOUT A TRAINING, or use the links below to register. CONTACT [email protected] for more information.

for parents & adults (18+) who work or live with youth between ages of 12-18

REGISTER

UPCOMING TRAININGS IN ENGLISH

DATE: TUES, JAN 14 - 6pm-8pm
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Ashley

DATE: SAT, FEB 15 - 10am - noon
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Ashley

DATE: TUES, MAR 18 - 6pm-8pm
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Michelle

DATE: SAT, APR 5 - 10am-noon
LOCATION: Santa Maria w/Ashley

DATE: TUES, APR 15 - 6pm-8pm
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Michelle

DATE: FRI, MAY 9 - 6pm-8pm
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Ashley

DATE: TUES, JUNE 17 - 6pm-8pm
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Michelle

DATE: FRI, AUG 8 - 10am-noon
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Michelle

DATE: SAT, SEPT 6 - 10am-noon
LOCATION: ZOOM w/Ashley


PAST TRAININGS

DATE: FRI, DEC 13 - 10am-noon
LOCATION: ZOOM

DATE: THUR, DEC 5 [Cancelled]

DATE: FRI, NOV 22 - 10am-noon
LOCATION: ZOOM

DATE: NOV 20
LOCATION: Active Minds

DATE: OCT 19 
LOCATION: ZOOM 

DATE: JUNE 4
LOCATION: Decker's Explore Week

DATE: MAY 21 
LOCATION: Zoom

DATE: MAY 3
LOCATION: Fusion Academy

DATE: APR 16
LOCATION: SBMS

DATE: APR 9 
LOCATION: Zoom SBCEO

DATE/TIME: APR 3 
LOCATION: Zoom

DATE: JAN 12 
LOCATION: One Community Action

DATE: MAR 6 
LOCATION: Allan Hancock College SM

DATE: OCT 26 - CBB
LOCATION: 1000 San Antonio Creek Rd

DATE: AUG 21 - AHC
LOCATION: Allan Hancock College SM

for adults who work or live with youth between the ages of 12-18

REGISTER

UPCOMING TRAININGS IN ENGLISH

DATE: TUES, JAN 14 - 9am-4:30pm
LOCATION: YouthWell Office w/Michelle

DATE: TUES, JUNE 10 - 9am-4:00pm
LOCATION: CATE School

para adultos que trabajan o viven con jóvenes de entre 12 y 18 años

REGISTRO


PAST TRAININGS

DATE:  NOV 9 
LOCATION: ZOOM 

DATE: OCT 11 
LOCATION: SBCEO / Anacapa

DATE: AUG 31 
LOCATION: MICOP (Spanish Training)

DATE: JUNE 14 
LOCATION: ZOOM [blended]

DATE: JUNE 11 
LOCATION: IN-PERSON @ CATE School

FECHA: 25 DE MAYO
UBICACION: One Community Action

DATE: APR 27 
LOCATION: ZOOM

DATE: MAR 4 
LOCATION: AHA Santa Barbara

DATE: MAR 1 
LOCATION: YouthWell Office

DATE: FEB 24 
LOCATION: SMJUHSD

DATE: JAN 26 - BHI
LOCATION: YouthWell Office

DATE: JAN 8 
LOCATION: Guadalupe School District

DATE: DEC 20 
LOCATION: One Community Action

teaches teens in grades 9-12 or ages 14-18 how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers.
Inquire if interested for your class or group of teens.

INQUIRE

UPCOMING TRAININGS

DATE: JAN 5, 2025
LOCATION:  South County Youth Advisory Board & Partnering Organizations

DATE: JAN 20, 2025
LOCATION: Countywide ZOOM

DATE: JAN 24, 2025
LOCATION: SMJUHSD 

DATE: FEB 2, 2025
LOCATION: North County Youth Advisory Board & Partnering Organizations


PAST TRAININGS

DATE: NOV 2024
LOCATION: Health Careers Academy

DATE: NOV 2024
LOCATION: Santa Barbara High School

DATE: MAY 30
LOCATION: Dos Pueblos High School

DATE: MAY
LOCATION: CATE School

DATE: APR
LOCATION: SYV People Helping People

DATE: JAN
LOCATION: San Marcos High School, Health Careers Academy

DATE: NOV
LOCATION: Midland Charter School

DATE: NOV 
LOCATION: Santa Barbara High School Health Class

DATE: OCT 
LOCATION: Youth Advisory Board

mental health first aid

Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid [MHFA] helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis.

YOUTH Mental Health First Aid [Y-MHFA]is a comprehensive training designed to equip educators, family members, and caregivers (18 years or older) with the skills and knowledge to identify, understand, and respond to the signs or risk factors of youth mental illness and substance use disorders. The 6.5 hour training can be done via Zoom or in-person. Upon completion, you will be certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid.

TEEN Mental Health First Aid [tMHFA] teaches high school students (10th-12th grade) about common mental health challenges and what they can do to support their own mental health and help a friend who is struggling. It’s equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need to foster their own wellness and to support each other.

ADULT Mental Health First Aid is for 18 years and older. Hosted by the Mental Wellness Center >

REGISTER: Youth Mental Health First Aid is FREE and is offered monthly throughout Santa Barbara County. SIGN UP > Let us know if you would like to coordinate a private class for 20 people to train in your organization, church, or group. The course is available in English and Spanish. CONTACT [email protected]

View YouthWell Community Calendar or BeTheDifferenceSB.org for upcoming classes.

QPR training

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. QPR is a suicide prevention training for participants to be able to recognize the warning signs of suicide and question, persuade, and refer people at risk for suicide for help. QPR can be learned in as little as one hour and you will receive a certificate that is active for 2 years.

Gatekeepers trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor.

Gatekeepers can be anyone, but include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide.

As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper you will learn to:

  • Recognize the warning signs of suicide
  • Know how to offer hope
  • Know how to get help and save a life

REGISTER: QPR is FREE and is offered monthly throughout Santa Barbara County. SIGN UP > Let us know if you would like to coordinate a private class for 20 people to train in your organization, church, or group. The course is available in English and Spanish. CONTACT [email protected]

View YouthWell Community Calendar or BeTheDifferenceSB.org for upcoming classes.

Thank you!

Through a SAMHSA grant, Family Service Agency (FSA)  and YouthWell are able to provide more community education around mental health as a way to support youth in our community.