You are not alone. 9-8-8 is Canada’s new helpline for anyone who is thinking about suicide or who is worried about someone they know. Reach out for help, whenever you need it.

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Training

Paid Training in Alphabetical Order

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day suicide intervention workshop presented by certified trainers, usually twice annually. The ASIST workshop is designed to increase caregivers’ knowledge, comfort level, and confidence in responding to a person at risk of suicide. Developed by LivingWorks Education, it is the most widely used, acclaimed, and researched training of its kind in the world. Click HERE to learn more.

Pre-registration is required. The course costs $250 per person and includes course materials and nutritional breaks. Our next ASIST Training opportunities are posted below:

Charlottetown

Murchison Centre Charlottetown, from 8:30 – 4:30 pm daily.

April 30 and May 1, 2024 – Register Here

May 14 and 15, 2024 – Register Here

Summerside

For more information or inquiries about space, and availability reach out to the contacts listed below.

​We also periodically offer an ASIST Tune-Up. ASIST Tune-Up is a half-day workshop for those who have participated in ASIST Training Edition 11 and want to refresh their skills. It is recommended that people tune up their ASIST skills every 2 years. The course costs $50/person and pre-registration is required.

Please reach out to our training contact for any questions about the next course offerings.

Training contact: Director of Community Education and Peer Support / [email protected] / 902-853-4180


LivingWorks “Start” is a 90-minute, online training program that will teach you how to recognize when someone is having thoughts of suicide and to take meaningful action to keep them safe.

​Accessible via any computer, smartphone, or tablet, LW Start includes customization, simulations, and interactive content. You’ll learn about suicide and its prevention, receive personalized information, and gain a series of skills to keep someone safe and alive.

Start complies with the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Tier III evidence-based training criteria. Trainees have been shown to gain increased skills in recognizing someone’s thoughts of suicide and providing appropriate support to keep them safe.

​We are continuing to offer LivingWorks Start at $39.95 (plus applicable taxes). For more information, and to register, please click HERE.


The Mental Health First Aid Canada program aims to improve mental health literacy and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manage potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, a friend, or a colleague.

​The program does not teach people how to be therapists. It does teach people how to:

  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems.
  • Provide initial help. Guide a person towards appropriate professional help.

The following mental health problems are covered: Mood disorders, Anxiety disorders, Psychosis and Substance Use Disorder

The following mental health crises are covered: Suicidal behaviour, Overdoses, Panic Attacks, Reactions to traumatic events, and psychotic episodes.

Our next Mental Health First Aid Training opportunity will be:

Charlottetown

April 25 & 26, 2024 at Murchison Centre, 17 St Pius X Avenue, from 9 am – 4 pm daily. Click Here to Download the Registration Form.

Sessions are held from 9-4 PM daily and typically rotate between locations in Charlottetown and Summerside. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $250 per person and includes materials and nutritional breaks (lunch is not included in the registration cost). Please reach out to the training contact listed below.

Training Contact: Les Wagner / [email protected] / (902) 436-7399


Mental Health Works is a national social enterprise of the Canadian Mental Health Association. We provide capacity-building workshops and presentations that are person-centred, evidence-based, and solution focused. We’ll help you build mental health awareness, teach you how to respond to challenging situations, and collaborate with you to create a healthier, safer workplace. There are one-hour, half-day, and full-day workshops available to suit a myriad of needs. Click HERE to go to our national program website. Courses are scheduled on an as-needed basis. Cost varies.


Peer Support Leader Training – Learn how to lead a safe and honest conversation and build support in your community. Peer support groups are led by people who share the same issue or experience. The leaders are regular people whose only qualification is personal or “lived” experience.

​Peer support groups are not therapy groups. The primary focus is emotional support, practical support, and information exchange. Each group is different and what happens at meetings is determined by the leader in consultation with participants.

This training is FREE thanks to the generous support of UPSE.

​To be notified about the next course, please call (902) 566-3034 or email [email protected].


safeTALK is a half-day alertness training that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK-trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.

Since its development in 2006, safeTALK has been used in over 20 countries around the world, and more than 200 selectable video vignettes have been produced to tailor the program’s audio-visual component for diverse audiences. safeTALK-trained helpers are an important part of suicide-safer communities, working alongside intervention resources to identify and avert suicide risks.

​Training contact: Director of Community Education and Peer Support Julia Ramsay / [email protected] / 902-853-4180


Specialized Peer Support Worker Training

Peer Support is the process of disclosing personal experience with mental illness/ addictions and a personal recovery journey to inspire hope and recovery for others. CMHA PEI recognizes the need for formal training and support for peer workers to effectively do this meaningful work.

The Specialized Peer Support Worker Training is a 119-hour program that includes 2 weeks of in-person training, a practicum, and a written and oral exam. The training will equip individuals to use their personal experience to support others by providing specific education, tools, skills, and exposure.

For more information on upcoming training, qualification, and registration visit our Specialized Peer Support page

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