MHA Education and Training Programs

Promoting mental health through education is a key element of MHA's mission.  MHA offers a variety of educational services for the professional and non-professional communities. These training programs are held on-site at MHA offices, and by arrangement, at community sites such as schools, community agencies, and businesses.  

Programs for the Community

Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Programs that raise awareness of the problem of suicide and teach community members “suicide first aid” to connect with and assist those at risk are powerful tools to prevent suicide in our communities.  MHA offers four programs to help all community members become aware of the problem, recognize and talk with individuals who may be at risk, and connect them to appropriate resources.

ASIST

A two-day interactive workshop designed for all community members to recognize when an individual is at risk of suicide and to intervene safely and effectively.   ASIST has been used around the world and is listed on the Best Practice Registry of the federal Suicide Prevention Center.  ASIST helps prepare volunteers, informal helpers and professionals from all disciplines to:

• Recognize when individuals may be at risk of suicide
• Understand how your beliefs affect your responses with individuals at risk
• Engage an individual at risk about his/her reasons for considering suicide and the reasons for living
• Develop a plan to increase safety from suicidal behavior
• Follow-up on all safety commitments, accessing further help as needed.

ASIST training is delivered by certified trainers.  For more information, please contact Dr. Barbara Bernstein at Bernsteb@mhawestchester.org.   Additional information about ASIST is available at:  http://www.livingworks.net/

safeTALK

Suicide alertness for everyone is a three-hour training that prepares all community members to recognize individuals who have thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. As a safeTALK-trained suicide alert helper, you will be better able to:

• Recognize when people have thoughts of suicide by not missing, dismissing or avoiding signs
• Learn about local resources
• Apply the TALK steps (Tell, Ask, Listen and KeepSafe) to connect a person with thoughts of suicide to intervention caregivers.

safeTALK training is delivered by certified trainers.  For more information, please contact Dr. Barbara Bernstein at Bernsteb@mhawestchester.org.   Additional information about safeTALK is available at:  http://www.livingworks.net/

QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer

3 steps to help save a life from suicide. People trained in QPR learn to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. The QPR course, appropriate for all community members,  can be presented in as little as one hour. 

QPR training is delivered by certified trainers.  For more information, please contact Dr. Barbara Bernstein at Bernsteb@mhawestchester.org.   Additional information about QPR can be found at http://www.qprinstitute.com/

Project CONNECT

Project CONNECT Postvention provides training to assist community members develop a planned response to a death by suicide.  The goals of postvention are to promote healing of those who are most directly as well as those indirectly affected by the death, and also to reduce risk of additional suicide deaths. Attendees learn about:

•  The problem and prevalence of suicide including risk factors and warning signs
•  The impact of suicide on individuals and the community
•  Safe messaging to effectively communicate needed information while respecting individuals’ rights to confidentiality and preferences regarding dissemination of information
•  Talking with individuals of different ages as well as backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities

CONNECT Postvention training is delivered by certified trainers. It is listed on the Best Practice Registry of the federal Suicide Prevention Center. For more information, please contact Dr. Barbara Bernstein at Bernsteb@mhawestchester.org.  Additional information about is available at:  www.theconnectproject.org

Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

MHA is approved by the New York State Department of Education to provide the Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment training required for mandated reports of child abuse and maltreatment.

Applicants for licensure as chiropractors, dental hygienists, dentists, optometrists, physicians, podiatrists, psychologists and registered nurses, or for limited permits in the professions of dentistry, medicine, podiatry, psychology and registered professional nursing, or as school administrators, supervisors, school service personnel, classroom schoolteachers, licensed clinical social workers, licensed master social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, creative arts therapists and psychoanalysts must complete coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment.

If you graduated from a program registered by New York State that leads to licensure or certification in one of the above areas (other than medicine) after September 1, 1990, you are not required to take additional training or to submit documentation. However, physicians and those who have completed medical residency programs may be required. For further information, please contact the Office of the Professions at the New York State Education Department.

Learn dates of upcoming trainings or download a regislatration form. For additional information contact our Information and Referral Services at (914) 345-0700, or e-mail us at help@mhawestchester.org. A "per training" rather than "per person" fee may be arranged for training that MHA provides on-site at other agencies.

Programs for Businesses

MHA staff will provide no-cost presentations on timely topics related to mental health and wellness at your business location.  For more information and to schedule a presentation please contact Dr. Barbara Bernstein at BernsteB@mhawestchester.org.

For Managers

• When Employees Are Present But Not All There:  Anxiety, worry, sadness and health issues all impact productivity and quality of work.  Learn how you, as a manager, can help your employees address this problem. 
• Team Building to Create Effective Staff Functioning:  Using innovative techniques and activities, we can help you improve the cohesiveness of your staff.
• Drumming to Reduce Stress and Develop Teams:  Drumming is a specific technique that successfully helps businesses improve their capacity to function as a team.

For Employees

• Is It Sadness or Depression?  Everyone has “down” days.  Learn the difference between common short-term sadness and depression, as well as how you can help yourself, co-worker, and loved ones.
• Coping With Bereavement In The Workplace   Our workplaces are communities in which we may experience the loss of someone we are accustomed to seeing and working with daily.  Feelings of grief and loss are common.  Learn how to help yourself and others through this challenging time.
• Managing Stress to Improve Health and Productivity From time to time, we all experience worry and tension.  Working together, we help you develop strategies to improve emotional balance and stay focused.

Focus on the Family

• Bullying – What Can I Do?  Bullying is a serious and common problem for youth.  Learn how to recognize, talk with your child, and address this pervasive problem.
• Managing Trauma:  Events such as car accidents, chronic illness and death, and even media coverage of disturbing events are distressing for all – and may be especially difficult for children.  Learn how to reduce the negative impact of these events on children.
• Your College Bound Senior:  The Junior and Senior years of high School can be stressful for the entire family.  Addressing the developmental challenges of this age, MHA staff will help you negotiate this time and the coming separation from your child.

Internship Opportunities

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