Training

Current Courses

Our specialized training empowers parents, caregivers, and Parent/Family Advocates, and provides them the opportunity to advocate for their children/ youth with mental health and/or behavioral health challenges. For assistance, please contact UACF’s Director of Training at (916) 643-1530 Ext. 105

Educate, Equip and Support: Building Hope (EES) Train the Trainer Course

Awarded the 2013 "Program of the Year" at the 33rd Annual CMHACY Conference

UACF sponsors the three (3) day EES Train-the-Trainer course to certify potential trainers, Parent/Family Advocates, so they can teach the curriculum in their counties to other parents. The EES curriculum was designed specifically for parents/caregivers who currently or previously parented a child receiving services in the mental health system.

The purpose of the course is to provide parents and caregivers with education on coping and grieving associated with parenting a child with a serious emotional disorder, brain development and diagnosis,  symptoms of children’s mental health disorders, treatment options, accessing mental health treatment, the role of child welfare, special education and mental health and medication treatment. Each participant will take an exam at the end of the training to become a certified EES trainer which will qualify the participant the opportunity to facilitate a 12 week EES class for parents/caregivers and family members. The cost of the EES Train-the-Trainer course is $300.00 per participant.

PP101: Parent Partner Basic Training

The three (3) day PP 101 Training, was designed specifically to certify newly hired Parent/Family Advocates, parents and caregivers currently employed or have an interest in employment in the public mental health system. The PP 101 Training will enhance the knowledge and skills of newly hired Parent/Family Advocates in preparing them to enter the mental health workforce in a manner that is ethical, successful, cultural and linguistically competent, and built upon family driven and youth guided principles. The curriculum modules will include parent partner basics, parent partner roles and responsibilities, family driven parent partner program, parent partner roles and responsibilities, parent partners as leaders, engaging families, the nuts and bolts of parent partner programs, system navigation, parent partner ethics and accountability and parent partner balance and preservation. Integrated within the modules are the basics tenets of the Mental Health Service Act, cultural competence/sensitivity, documentation and basic writing skills, and dealing with stigma and discrimination. A pre/post exam will be given to each participant. Each trainer will receive a participant manual and a UACF certificate as a certified Parent/Family Partner. The cost for the PP 101 Training course is $495.00 per person.

Educate, Equip and Support: Building Hope (EES) ~ Juvenile Justice Training

The Educate, Equip, and Support: Building Hope (EES) Juvenile Justice Curriculum, which was developed through a Zellerbach Foundation grant. The one (1) day EES Juvenile Justice training was designed to promote increased partnership between family members, youth and treatment providers. The curriculum was designed to inform parents/caregivers and youth about the history of juvenile justice, the arrest process, court system, cost and related issues, how to navigate and work with juvenile justice professionals, and about coping with grief regarding the loss of your child’s health (or losses experienced by youth). The information allows parents/caregivers to participate in an authentic way with the service providers who are developing treatment plans for their children who have been involved with the juvenile justice system.

The EES Juvenile Justice curriculum was designed and formatted for youth or family members who have a child/youth who is receiving or who has received mental health services and experienced services in the juvenile justice system. Each participant will receive a UACF certificate of completion. The cost for the training is $250.00 per participant.

Telling Your Story: Story Telling Change Agents Training

The Telling Your Story: Story Telling Change Agents is a one day train-the trainer training. The purpose for the train-the-trainer certified curriculum is to empower consumers, families, and youth to tell their stories in a manner that impacts systems change, community response, and neutralizes the stigma and discrimination often associated with mental health challenges. The target audience includes consumers of mental health services, family members and youth with mental health challenges throughout the state. Each participant will receive a training guide and a UACF certificate of completion.

Click here to launch the e-learning module "Telling Your Story: Storytelling Change Agents"

Caring Communities: Response and Support Training

The Caring Communities: Response and Support Training is a one day train-the-trainer training. The purpose for the train-the-trainer certified curriculum is to empower community leaders in becoming certified trainers on mental illness and mental wellness as a proactive and responsive approach to mental health stigma and discrimination. The target audience includes family members, consumers of mental health services, youth, and mental health gate keepers throughout the state. Each participant will receive a training guide and a UACF certificate of completion.

Click here to launch the e-learning module "Caring Communities: Response and Support Training"

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This 12-hour course teaches people how to give first aid to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis situation and/or who are in the early stages of a mental health disorder. Participants will learn the signs and symptoms of the most common mental health problems, where and when to get help, and what type of help has been shown to be effective. Mental health problems covered are depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, substance use disorders,  Crisis situations covered include suicidal behaviors, acute stress reaction after a trauma, panic attack, acute psychotic behavior, and drug overdose.

Soft Skill Trainings

All Soft Skill Trainings are 1-day trainings. Each participant will receive handouts, worksheets, power point slides, student training manual and a UACF certificate of completion. The cost for the training is $325.00 per participant.