Mental Health First Aid Information Session with Elaine Vandenburgh
December 10 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST
About
Mental health is an essential component of a resilient, effective healthcare workforce. Yet each year, nearly one in five U.S. adults experiences a mental health condition that can affect both personal well-being and professional performance. As healthcare and allied health leaders, understanding how to recognize and respond to these challenges—within teams and across patient populations—can support a more compassionate and responsive care environment.
This introductory virtual session will provide a broad overview of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), an evidence-based national training that prepares individuals to identify, approach, and connect people experiencing mental health or substance use concerns with appropriate support.
This session is designed for those interested in learning more about Mental Health First Aid and how it may align with your organization’s goals for staff well-being, patient care, and workplace culture.
In this session, we will:
- Discuss the prevalence of mental health conditions and their impact on individuals, teams, and healthcare organizations
- Provide an overview of the content and structure of the 8-hour MHFA training
- Engage in a brief activity to experience one MHFA action step: listening nonjudgmentally
- Share examples of how organizations are integrating MHFA into their workforce strategies
- Offer information on how your team or organization can explore next steps
About the Presenter:
Elaine Vandenburgh was first introduced to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in a previous role supporting organizations with workforce planning and training. The course was a turning point—within weeks, she found herself using what she had learned to respond to mental health crises in real time until professional help arrived. It made her wonder: were these situations new, or had the signs always been there, unnoticed? The training opened her eyes.
That experience sparked deeper questions: How many signs had she missed in her 10+ years in workforce development? How many people might she have helped with the right tools? What would change if Mental Health First Aid were as widely taught as CPR?
Today, Elaine continues to explore these questions in her role as Healthcare Education Director for Minnesota State’s HealthForce Center of Excellence. She is also a coach, yoga and mindfulness instructor, and a Mental Health First Aid instructor. Elaine is committed to expanding mental health literacy across Minnesota’s healthcare and wellness communities. Her vision is to help make Mental Health First Aid as common and accessible as CPR—an essential skill embedded in how we care for ourselves, support one another, and strengthen the systems around us.