Mental Health Trainings & Resources

The Helpline Center provides a variety of mental health and suicide prevention trainings in South Dakota. We invite you to attend an upcoming training or schedule a training today to learn the steps of identifying and responding to mental health and suicide. For questions, please email training@helplinecenter.org.

Download the 2026 Training Schedule HERE.

Request a Mental Health Training or Resource

Monthly Mental Health Newsletter & Minute

Helpline Center’s monthly Mental Health Newsletter is your go-to destination for all things mental health.

Click to Subscribe 

What to Expect:

1. Mental Health Minute: A one page document you can share with employees, students, and others that is full of relevant mental health information and self-care tips.
2. Social Media Shareables: Premade content related to mental health and wellness you can share on your social media pages or advertise around your organization.
3. Featured Trainings: Know about upcoming trainings or request one for your organization.
4. Featured Content: Gain valuable insights on 211, 988, and all the great programs at Helpline Center.
5. Order Materials: Easy access to order materials related to 988, 211, or suicide loss support.

 

Stay updated with our Mental Health Minute, where we deliver bite-sized insights and tips for nurturing your emotional well-being. Dive into expert advice on managing stress, enhancing resilience, and fostering self-care practices. Join our community committed to prioritizing mental health, one minute at a time.

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) – 1 to 2 hour training

QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer, three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. In this free one to two-hour training, participants first learn about the nature of suicidal communications, what forms these communications take, and how they may be used as a stimulus for a QPR intervention.

QPR offers specialty modules in: School Health Professionals; Farmers; School Setting; Native American; Late Life Suicide; Residential; Law Enforcement & Emergency Service Professionals; and Youth.

Register for upcoming free QPR Trainings:

April 6, 2026 – Sioux Falls

April 6, 2026 – Rapid City

Mental Health First Aid – 8 hour training

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This free training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

Two Learning Options

Blended Learning. After completing a 2-hour, self-paced class, First Aiders will participate in a 4-hour, in-person, Instructor-led class.

In-person. First Aiders will receive their training as an 8-hour, Instructor-led, in-person course.

Who Should Take it

  • Employers
  • Police officers
  • Hospital staff
  • First responders
  • Faith leaders
  • Community members
  • Caring individuals

What it Covers

  • Common signs and symptoms of mental illness
  • Common signs and symptoms of substance use
  • How to interact with a person in crisis
  • How to connect the person with help
  • NEW: Expanded content on trauma, addiction and self-care

Mental Health First Aid offers specialty modules in: Higher Education; Military Members, Veterans & Their Families; Public Safety; Older Adults; and Rural Communities

Register now for the free MHFA Trainings:

March 17 & 18, 2026 – Sioux Falls

April 6 & 7, 2026 – Rapid City

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) – 2 day training

ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) gives you the confidence, knowledge and practical tools to intervene when it matters most.  Over two (2) engaging days led by certified Trainers, you’ll learn through real conversations, group practice and shared reflection in a safe, supportive environment.
You will:
  • Build confidence to ask directly about suicide
  • Listen with empathy and without judgment
  • Explore personal attitudes and beliefs that affect your ability to help
  • Create a collaborative Safety Plan to help someone stay safe for now
  • Connect them to further care and ongoing support

June 10 & 11, 2026 – Rapid City

June 16 & 17, 2026 – Sioux Falls

Helpline Center University

This free course is aimed at professionals in the social service sector to learn how to utilize the online Community Directory tools to connect individuals to resources in their community.

The course provides a brief history of the Helpline Center and the current services offered today. As well as an online Community Directory tutorial, the course reviews how to leverage the Create Your Own Guide tool to build comprehensive Resource Lists for your clients.

What you’ll learn

  • History of the Helpline Center
  • Current core services at the Helpline Center
  • How to navigate the online Community Directory tools
  • How to use the Create Your Own Guide tool

Take The Course Here!

Surviving After Suicide Class

Being a survivor of suicide loss is complex and can feel lonely; one can be left with unanswered questions and conflicting emotions. The Surviving After Suicide Class is a ten week education and support based class for adults that is designed to support survivors as they express and seek to understand the powerful grief they experience. These classes are only offered in-person and in the Sioux Falls office at the Helpline Center. Each class focuses on a unique aspect of survivor grief and is followed by a support session allowing members to share their stories. The supportive mourning process is guided by a book and a journal written by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt that includes practical strategies for coping and healing.

“To integrate your grief into your life, you must experience enough safety to feel your feelings” – Dr. Alan D Wolfelt

In this class, you will experience a safe and confidential setting that will allow you to be open and honest about your own thoughts and feelings.

There is no fee for the class or materials. Must be 18 years old to attend. Registration is required, you can do so below for the next class session. Classes are held beginning in January, April, and September in Sioux Falls (virtual classes not available at this time).

Next Class Session Starting:

January 13, 2026 – Register Here.

Email Helpline Center for more information: griefsupport@helplinecenter.org

Means Safety Training – 1 hour training

In this training session, participants will delve into the crucial aspects of suicide safety planning and means safety. Designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective support, this training focuses on fostering a safer environment for those at suicide risk.

Safety Planning:

Safety planning stands as a key practice in mental health care and suicide prevention. It is a personalized, proactive strategy designed to guide individuals through moments of crisis and mitigate the risk of self-harm or suicide.

Means Safety:

Means safety is a critical component of suicide prevention that focuses on limiting access to lethal means, thereby reducing the risk of self-harm and suicide. It acknowledges that restricting access to potentially harmful items or methods can play a pivotal role in preventing impulsive and irreversible actions.