Mental Health First Aid

On Tuesday I was finally able to take the Mental Health First Aid eight-hour workshop, which I first learned about three to five years ago. It was for free through a college where I teach. The main emphasis was on a mental health first aid mnemonic: ALGEE. (See this page https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/what-you-learn/)

ALGEE steps
Assess for risk of suicide or harm
Listen nonjudgmentally
Give reassurance and Information
Encourage appropriate professional help
Encourage self-help and other support strategies

I've noticed that sometimes discussions about suicide will go straight to the first E by suggesting a hotline, but maybe that can risk making the person feel abandoned or not cared for without making sure of the previous steps in ALGEE.

I wonder if schools K through 12 could teach something like this along with Red Cross first aid and maybe many other life skills. When I was in seventh grade, my life sciences teacher decided on his own to teach us first aid--burns, CPR, broken bones, etc. I wish that my schools offered this K through 12 so that we could build up skills and get this embedded into us. Maybe it could be done in PE classes.