This is valuable training for Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructors are certified through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
"Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis."
50,000 Instructors have delivered training to over 5 million people across 26 countries
Learn More About the International Program
The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (CMHM) will offer Mental Health First Aid Training for Adults (in English) on:
Monday, October 23, 2023
7:00a.m. pacific/9:00a.m. central/10:00a.m. eastern
For those Instructors who are offering MHFA Training to a Catholic Parish based audience, CMHM has created Catholic Parish based scenarios to use in your training. These scenarios will help to make MHFA more relevant and applicable in Catholic parishes and communities.
This course was designed to provide 1) basic mental health literacy, 2) a rationale for Catholic Mental Health Ministry and 3) the elements of Catholic Mental Health Ministry. Guidelines for implementing mental health ministry in a parish or school will be explored.
If you are a member of CMHM and are interested in taking this course, please contact [email protected].
University of San Diego
School of Leadership and Education Sciences
One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem at some point in their lives, yet the stigma surrounding mental illness silences many and prevents faith communities from responding compassionately and effectively. This eight-session course—designed for use in small groups—explores the realities of mental health and illness, as well as the vital need for faith-based community conversations about these topics.
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has launched Whole Hearted, a parish-based trauma-awareness resource that integrates spirituality and religious practices with behavioral health. Trauma Aware Parishes can demonstrate sensitivity to trauma’s impact on its members and their loved ones, Parishes and organizations can offer Whole Hearted as a day of reflection or four weekly sessions. Sessions take no more than 60 minutes and can be conducted onsite or remotely. If necessary, individuals can work through Whole Hearted on their own.
Ongoing formation is the foundation for healthy ministry. SLIconnect offers resources for Catholic clergy, religious and lay leadership designed by experts in psychological and spiritual health.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide.
Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people 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.
QPR can be learned in our Gatekeeper course in as little as one hour.
A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide.
Gatekeepers can be anyone, but include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, and anyone who is strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide.
Behavioral Health Practice for Chaplains Certificate
University of San Diego
The Behavioral Health Practice for Chaplains Certificate program provides professional development in behavioral health didactic content and supervised practicum for hospital chaplains in the health care system. Participants will learn the classification of common psychiatric disorders and other behavioral health terminology. They will learn their prevalence and causes. Common medications and treatments will be explored and how pastoral care can be integrated into behavioral health treatment planning. The program finishes with behavioral health matters such as how spirituality can benefit wellness, how to work with behavioral health providers, providing advanced pastoral counseling skills, and with the onset of technology, how telebehavioralhealth practices can be utilized with pastoral care.