Being an MHFA instructor means we are certified to teach the Mental Health First Aid course to others in our community. The course is designed to help people recognize and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges, and provide support and resources to those in need.
As an instructor, we:
- Teach from a national curriculum that is evidence-based and regularly updated
- Tailor the course to our audience and their needs while maintaining fidelity to the core program model and key messages
- Create, market, and coordinate courses and support for all who are interested
- To maintain our certification, we teach the course at least 3 times a year
Who are YOUR mental health first aid instructors?
Katie Lail
Katie is certified to teach Adult MHFA, MHFA for Higher education, MHFA for Public Safety, Fire/EMS, and MHFA for Older Adults. She is also the MHFA coordinator for AppState through the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning for Student Success. Katie has been a part of the MHFA community for roughly 10 years and is passionate about mental health awareness and response.
Jessica Cory
Jessica spent nearly a decade working in the human services sector before joining the ranks of higher ed as an English instructor. She became a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor in 2021 and is excited to bring these trainings to the App State community.
Elisabeth Cavallaro
Elisabeth Cavallaro, Associate Director of Wellness and Prevention Services, has been involved in mental health education for over a decade. She became certified to teach Mental Health First Aid in December 2021 and primarily leads sessions with student leaders and faculty and staff who work closely with students.
Jennifer Howard
Jennifer Howard is the program director for the Master of Science in Athletic Training in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Beaver College of Health Sciences. She has been a Mental Health First Aid instructor since 2022.