Vaya Health’s educational trainings can help you better understand mental health challenges, substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), as well as how to address them with hope and compassion. Our goal is to help people use their new knowledge on the job, at home, at school, and in other settings so they can better support family, friends, and others in their communities.
Our training and education courses are designed to meet organizational needs. Classes focus on a variety of topics and take place both online and throughout our region.
Learning and Development
Participants define active listening and discuss barriers to effective communication. This training covers active listening techniques and benefits of active listening that help in responding to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: One hour
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Active Listening training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Behavioral Health 101
Participants receive a basic overview of some of the most common behavioral health diagnoses in the United States, such as depression and anxiety. The training consists of recognizing and understanding key signs and symptoms of a person experiencing a behavioral health challenge or crisis. Participants receive key resources, including self-care and recovery principles.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Behavioral Health 101 training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Participants learn how to recognize signs and symptoms of common mental health disorders in children. This training covers the impacts of mental health disorders as well as skills for responding to children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: One hour
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is an innovative, first-responder model for police-based crisis intervention to help people with mental health and/or substance use disorders access treatment. It is a community-based partnership that promotes safety for officers and the person in crisis.
The CIT model reduces stigma and provides a forum for effective problem-solving. CIT participants learn techniques to safely de-escalate situations through classroom education and role-play scenarios.
Intended Audience: Law enforcement/first responder agencies
Length of Training: 40-hour week
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person only*
Visit the Crisis Intervention Team Training page of our website to learn more. Contact CIT@vayahealth.com if you have questions or wish to register for CIT training.
Disable the Label: Stuck in Stigma
People living with mental health or substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, or traumatic brain injuries may exhibit behaviors that others do not understand. People with these conditions may experience discrimination and misunderstanding. This interactive training presents issues related to stigma, introduces participants to person-first language, and explores how awareness can lead to understanding in communities.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: Two hours
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Disable the Label: Stuck in Stigma training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
The Emotional Recovery from a Natural Disaster training helps participants understand the physical and psychological impacts of disasters. It covers common reactions to trauma, offering insights into how individuals may respond in the aftermath. The training also emphasizes the importance of healthy coping strategies, aiming to increase awareness and equip participants with practical tools to manage stress and promote emotional well-being during recovery.
Intended Audience: Community stakeholders
Length of training: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Emotional Recovery from a Natural Disaster training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
LivingWorks ASIST is a two-day workshop featuring powerful audiovisuals, discussions, and simulations. Participants learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing skilled interventions, and developing a safety plan to keep someone alive. Knowledgeable, supportive trainers guide participants through the course, ensuring comfort and safety. LivingWorks ASIST is evidence-based training with a community-based approach. More than 50 peer-reviewed studies and government reports show it is effective.
- Training improves participant skills and readiness
- Interventions shown to increase hope and reduce suicidality
- Training shown to increase general counseling and listening skills
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: Two days
Cost: Free
*This presentation is offered in person only at this time*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for LivingWorks ASIST training and email it to training@vayahealth.com. You may also visit our Calendar of Events to see scheduled trainings.
This training gives people a basic understanding of the impact that trauma and other adverse life events can have on an individual’s life, an introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences, simple and practical strategies for communicating about traumatic experiences, resiliency, and the role of self-care.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: One hour
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Looking in the Mirror: Self-Care and Trauma training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Mental Health First Aid is a certified, evidence-based, best-practice training that teaches people how to identify potential risk factors, warning signs, and symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders. The training explores skills for reaching out and providing initial help and support to someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis. Participants learn a five-step action plan and are provided resources for additional support.
Mental Health First Aid is available in both youth and adult sessions.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: Eight consecutive hours or two sessions of four hours each
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person only*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Mental Health First Aid training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
NC Innovations Waiver and the Innovations Waitlist
Participants receive an overview of the NC Innovations Waiver and the Innovations Waitlist, learn how to apply for the waitlist, and become familiar with services available through the waiver.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Visit our NC Innovations Waiver and Innovations Waitlist webpage to learn more. Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for NC Innovations Waiver and the Innovations Waitlist training and email it to training@vayahealth.com. You may also visit our Calendar of Events for scheduled trainings.
PCT Training introduces the basic principles of PCT. Vaya trainers review and discuss the origins, research, and values of PCT and provide an essential framework for effectively supporting a person in navigating life’s challenges and opportunities.
Intended Audience: Network Providers
Length of Training: Two days
Cost: Free
*This presentation is offered in person only at this time*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Person-centered thinking training and email it to training@vayahealth.com. You may also visit our Calendar of Events to see scheduled trainings.
Psychosis Simulation is an experiential training that involves an interactive simulation of hearing voices. Participants learn about psychosis and review signs, symptoms, risk factors, prevalence, and potential treatment options.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person only*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Psychosis Simulation training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) is a certified, evidence-based, best practice training that teaches people how to respond to someone in crisis and help prevent suicide. Participants learn how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, ask the right questions, persuade a person to get help, and refer them to the right resources. Just like with CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, people trained in QPR can help save a life.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: Two hours
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for QPR training and email it to training@vayahealth.com. You may also visit our Calendar of Events for scheduled trainings.
Participants learn how to recognize the signs of stress, manage triggers of stress, and discuss strategies for coping with stress.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: Two hours
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Complete Vaya’s Community Training Intake Form to request group instruction for Self-Care training and email it to training@vayahealth.com.
Member Engagement
This presentation gives participants general information about Vaya, including how to contact Vaya, what populations Vaya serves, and an overview of health plans Vaya manages. Participants develop a better understanding of who we are and the individuals we serve.
Intended Audience: General public
Length of Training: One hour
Cost: Free
*This presentation is offered in person or virtually by request*
Email MemberEngagement@vayahealth.com if you have questions or to request the Vaya Health 101 training presentation.
System of Care
This training introduces participants to System of Care elements, values, and principles. System of Care is a network of community-based services and supports organized to meet the needs of families who are involved with multiple child service agencies, such as child welfare, mental health, schools, and juvenile justice. Participants learn strategies for partnering with their Child and Family Teams to ensure support is effective and built on a child’s strengths.
Intended Audience: Parents, family members, advocates, network providers, and agencies that work with youth and families
Length of Training: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Visit the System of Care page of our website to learn more. Contact SystemOfCare@vayahealth.com if you have questions or to register for An Introduction to System of Care training.
Developed in partnership with families in North Carolina, this experiential training gives parents, caregivers, and professionals an overview of Child and Family Team meetings from the family’s perspective and teaches strategies and facilitation skills to support children, youth, and families. This training seeks to reinforce the idea of “one family, one plan” by addressing Child and Family Teams through the lens of multiple systems.
Intended Audience: Parents, family members, advocates, network providers, and agencies that work with youth and families
Length of Training: Two days (seven hours each day)
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Contact provider.training@vayahealth.com if you have questions, or to register for An Introduction to Child and Family Teams: A Cross System Training from the Family’s Perspective (CFT I) training.
Introduction to Child and Family Teams II is an interactive training where people build and practice the facilitation skills learned in CFT Part I. Participants should come prepared to practice different facilitation skills, as well as portions of a Child and Family Team meeting. Trainers provide opportunities for connection, introspection, conversation, and exploration.
Intended Audience: Parents, family members, advocates, network providers, and agencies that work with youth and families
Length of Training: Two days (seven hours/day)
Cost: Free
*This training is offered in person or virtually*
Contact provider.training@vayahealth.com if you have questions, or to register for An Introduction to Child and Family Teams: A Cross System Training from the Family’s Perspective (CFT II) training.
Health Education and Aging Resource Team
Vaya’s Health Education and Aging Resource Team (HEART) provides education, support, and consultation to agencies and care providers of persons at least 55 years of age who are experiencing mental health, substance use, dementia, or other emotional/behavioral concerns.
Click here for more information on HEART training courses.
