Mental Health First Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training 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. For more information, please visit the Mental Health First Aid website.
UCA WAVES, in partnership with the Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC), conducts Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training sessions to educate the community about mental health. Our goal is to empower individuals to prevent or handle crises—helping them become “mental health guardians” for themselves and their loved ones.
Youth MHFA
Equips adults with skills to support adolescents (ages 12-18) facing mental health concerns.
Adult MHFA
Teaches adults how to assist other adults experiencing mental health challenges.
Culturally Tailored
To better serve the Chinese community, we offer courses in Chinese and incorporate culturally sensitive materials and teaching methods. This ensures the training is accessible and resonates with participants’ cultural values and experiences.
Versatile Options
We offer free training for the general public. Organizations can also request tailored training sessions. For more details, please contact us.
Continuing Education
We, working with Moses/Weitzman Health System and its Weitzman Institute, provide 6.75 CME or CE credits specific to your health profession (or participation credits for those not covered by the available health profession credits) for the training.
Breaking New Ground: WAVES Research Insights on Mental Health in AANHPI Communities
Our July 2024 WAVES Research Insights report reveals powerful, eye-opening findings from our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training initiative. Drawing from data collected across more than 600 registrants and 200 trainees, the report sheds light on the real challenges Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities face when it comes to mental health—including stigma, cultural and language barriers, and limited access to care. Despite these obstacles, participants showed a strong desire to learn, connect, and support one another. The insights underscore an urgent need for culturally responsive care and community-driven mental health solutions.
Registration & Training Process
Step 1: Register – Registration opens three weeks before the training date (Scroll down to see the training schedule) .
Step 2: Create an MHFA Account – Two weeks before the training date, you’ll receive an invitation email from mhfa.org to set up an account.
Step 3: Enroll in the Course – You’ll be enrolled in the course in the order you set up your MHFA account.
Step 4: Complete Pre-Course Learning – Log in to your MHFA account and finish the required self-paced learning session at least one week before the training date.
Step 5: Attend Instructor-Led Training – Join the live training session on the scheduled date.
| Session Number | Training Date | Training Type |
| 1 | 1/10/2026 | Adult |
| 2 | 2/21/2026 | Youth |
| 3 | 3/21/2026 | Youth |
| 4 | 4/25/2026 | Adult |
| 5 | 5/23/2026 | Youth |
| 6 | 6/20/2026 | Youth |
| 7 | 7/25/2026 | Adult |
| 8 | 8/22/2026 | Youth |
| 9 | 9/26/2026 | Youth |
| 10 | 10/25/2026 | Adult |
| 11 | 11/22/2026 | Youth |
UCA WAVES 