This live virtual course provides caregivers with a strong foundation for understanding mental health conditions and supporting individuals with compassion, confidence, and professionalism. 

Delivered in an interactive online classroom, participants engage with the instructor and peers through discussion, real-life scenarios, and guided activities while learning practical skills they can apply immediately in caregiving settings. 

Topics include common mental health disorders, stigma and myths, trauma-informed care, effective communication, challenging behaviors, and suicide awareness and prevention. 

The course also emphasizes caregiver boundaries, self-care, and knowing when to seek additional support. 

By the end of the training, caregivers will be better prepared to provide respectful, person-centered care while maintaining their own professional well-being.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand stigma, common misconceptions, and contributing factors that affect individuals with mental health conditions.

• Define common mental health disorders and recognize key symptoms, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and OCD

• Apply the three-step approach to challenging behaviors: Stop, Identify, and Take Action

• Identify suicide risk factors and warning signs, and understand how to respond appropriately, including how to start a conversation

• Support individuals during crisis situations through de-escalation techniques and awareness of behavioral triggers

• Practice effective communication techniques, including active listening, respectful responses, and adapting interactions based on individual needs

• Recognize and respond to specific behavioral challenges such as aggression, hallucinations, withdrawal, and wandering

• Demonstrate understanding of professional boundaries and use assertive, non-confrontational communication