The Clinical First Responder™ training is offered in-person and virtually.
The in-person training consists of two 4-day training modules, whereas the virtual training is 3 days per module supplemented by online asynchronous learning.
The training covers a variety of psychological, emotional, and behavioral issues and teaches the skills necessary to effectively respond to them.
The CFR is a hands-on training experience with exercises and scenarios used to provide opportunities for immediate application of the skills being learned. This training format ensures that participants integrate the newly acquired knowledge and skills into their work .
The CFR training was designed by wilderness treatment field staff (turned Psychologists) for field staff and was piloted at Naropa University and revamped based on feedback from participants representing wilderness treatment programs and therapeutic boarding schools throughout the country.
Virtual Training Courses
In-Person Training Courses
The CFR training includes:
- Adolescent development: what is the norm?
- Clinical assessment: What is a diagnosis and how is it made?
- Review of most common adolescent diagnoses e.g., ADHD, Bipolar, Depression, Substance Abuse, etc.
- Ethical practice and guidelines regarding: roles, boundaries, self disclosure, and more.
- Field staff’s role in assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing care.
- Understanding the change process and increasing motivation for change.
- Recognizing signs and symptoms of trauma and how to respond effectively.
- Abuse disclosure and issues related to the reporting of abuse.
- Suicidality: what are the signs and how to respond.
- Crisis counseling and de-escalation techniques
- Techniques for developing a therapeutic alliance.
- Recognizing the goals of misbehavior and responding effectively.
- Identifying cognitive distortions and how to intervene.
- Practical tools for anger management.
- Introduction to group dynamics and group development.
- Initiative activities for facilitating group development.
- Diversity issues and sensitivities.
- Role of the family in adolescent mental health.
- Working with the family in wilderness therapy programs.
- Communications with clinicians and how to implement back-up support for mental health issues.
- Instructor judgement as a risk management tool.
- How to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy in the demanding role of direct care staff