Mental Health Training Framework

The Mental Health Training Framework is a guide that helps professionals identify training and resources to support the development of knowledge, behavioural and activating competencies. The framework leverages Alberta’s existing investments made in training and professional development. It summarizes core knowledge, behavioural and activating competencies identified as essential for professionals across sectors to support and promote mental health.

Why Does It Matter?

All communities contain individuals who are struggling with mental health and practitioners need support to do personal work, professionally. Professionals who are given the opportunity to develop appropriate competencies, suffer less vicarious trauma, less burnout and benefit from increased effectiveness in their field. These professionals include those working with human beings in the context of relationship-based practice on the promotion, prevention and intervention continuum.

How Can It Be Used?

The framework is intended to guide organizations, communities, system level decision makers and non-traditional allies in the development of their own training protocols/frameworks to address the specific learning needs of their staff and stakeholders

The Research

• Core knowledge competencies were identified from the literature and consultation with various stakeholders.
• Behavioral competencies align with various sector requirements and hiring practices and protocols.
• Activating competencies were identified through the Navigator focus groups which included professionals and individuals with lived experience.
• Identification and collection of existing national training and resources, as well as international resources, when appropriate.

Explore the framework online

Explore each knowledge competency below. Click on the knowledge competency for more information about the topic and to find resources, videos, toolkits, and online and in-person trainings available about each competency.

Download the Mental Health Training Framework for an Implementation Guide on how to create a training plan for your organization. The document also has reflective questions to facilitate group discussions with your team after an online training.