Mental Health Training Services

Empowering our community to respond to mental health needs.

FREE Trainings Available Until September 2026!

Adult, Teen, and Youth Mental Health First Aid, QPR, and De-Escalation trainings are at no cost for individuals and groups until September 2026.

To register or schedule a group training, email training@pawnee.org or call 785-587-4300 and ask to speak to our Community Training & Education Specialist.

Awareness. Interaction. Direction. (A.I.D.)

Duration: 2 hours | Cost: FREE*

A.I.D. is a mental health awareness training that teaches you how to recognize when someone is struggling, respond with confidence, and connect them to the right support.

What you’ll learn:

Identify signs of mental distress and changes in behavior that may indicate someone is struggling
Engage in supportive interaction by learning how to approach and communicate with someone in distress in a safe, effective way
Provide clear direction to care, including how to connect individuals with appropriate local mental health and crisis resources

A.I.D. empowers everyday community members to take action, respond with confidence, and help guide others toward the support they need.

De-Escalation Training

Duration: Flexible | Cost: FREE* ~~$400 per group~~

Learn how to:

Stay calm in challenging situations
Use verbal communication strategies
Create safe physical distance
Think critically and adapt to changing dynamics

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Duration: 8 hours | Cost: FREE* ~~$50 per person~~

MHFA teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

What you’ll learn:

Recognize signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges
Develop an action plan for someone in need
Connect individuals to local resources, including Pawnee’s Crisis Stabilization Unit

We aim to make Mental Health First Aid as common as CPR. Anyone in the community can take these classes.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

Duration: 2 hours | Cost: FREE* ~~$20 per Person | $400 for a Group~~

Learn 3 simple steps to help prevent suicide: Question, Persuade, Refer.

You’ll learn:

How to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis
How to intervene safely and effectively
How to connect someone to professional help

Self-Care Training

Duration: 2 hours | Cost: FREE*

Focuses on:

Building your own self-care plan
Maintaining wellbeing while supporting others

Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA)

Duration: Six 45-minute sessions OR Three 90-minute sessions | Cost: FREE* ~~$50 per person~~

Teaches teens (grades 10–12, ages 15–18) how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health challenges in their peers.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)

Duration: 6.5 hours | Cost: FREE* ~~$50 per person~~

Designed for adults who interact with adolescents (ages 12–18), YMHFA teaches how to help a young person experiencing mental health or substance use challenges.

Topics covered:

Anxiety, depression, substance use, eating disorders, psychosis, ADHD, and disruptive behavior
Adolescent development
5-step action plan for crisis and non-crisis situations