The CMHA Vancouver-Fraser education department is committed to improving the psychological health and safety of our community and the workplace. Through our training, we will increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and encourage early intervention through building skills to better recognize and respond to staff who may be struggling with a mental health problem.
Responding with Respect (RWR)
Responding with Respect (RWR) programs provide participants with a basic understanding of mental illness and mental health, whether it is their own or that of a colleague, client, patron, community member, friend, or family member. Based on the 4R Model © – Recognize, Respond, Refer, Reconnect – participants will learn to identify signs and symptoms associated with a mental health problem. They will acquire effective communication strategies to respond to and assist people whose behavior suggests they are struggling with a mental health problem. The purpose of the training is to increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, increase confidence in participants’ ability to respond and promote mental wellness.
Advancing Resilience
Adapted from Resilient Minds™ Building the Psychological Strength of Fire Fighters, the focus of this training is on advancing the resilience of employees who work in high-volume, deadline-driven, and demanding positions. Participants explore the brain on stress and the potential repercussions of unmitigated prolonged stress: compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, moral distress, and burnout. Practical and helpful strategies to mitigate the impacts of stress are explored and used to sustain and maintain well-being.
Participants will increase the ability to:
- Recognize the effects of psychological stress
- Apply personal strategies for managing stress
- Develop strategies for mitigating trauma and boosting resilience
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Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved. CMHA Vancouver-Fraser offers three versions of MHFA training through our certified Master Trainers.
Resilient Minds™ (RM)
Developed and managed by CMHA Vancouver-Fraser, The Resilient Minds program engages and informs first responders in three crucial areas relevant to their work: trauma, mental health problems, and building resiliency. Resilient Minds is based on a 4R Action Toolkit to build skills needed to assist colleagues, family, or members of the public who may be struggling with a mental health problem or be in a crisis.