Who is the CMHA for?

This training program is for anyone & everyone who interacts with other people who may look to them for support or guidance. 

Examples: victim advocates, social workers, mental health trainers, wellness program coordinators, executives and supervisors, church staff, student leaders, chaplains, physicians & nurses, mental health facility staff, crisis line call-takers, dispatchers, teachers/principals, attorneys, etc. 

What is the CMHA?

You will learn about basic mental health challenges & obstacles, causes, prevention, and treatment resources, as well as crisis/suicide prevention & intervention information. To become certified you will need to pass the Certification Exam. Annual renewal with continuing education is required to maintain certification. 

What will you learn?

Your main CMHA training course will prepare you for the CMHA certification exam, and thoroughly covers topics related to mental health foundations, recognizing when someone is in crisis, how to talk & listen to someone who needs support, what resources are best for different situations and how/when to connect someone to resources.

How it Works

1. Complete the Certified Mental Health Advocate training course within a 120-day period.

2. Take and pass the CMHA certification examination with at least a 90% score.

3. Every year renew the certification to keep it active.

4. Every year take 1 hour of CE (continuing education) classes provided by Center of Training in order to qualify for certification renewal. 

What You Get

When you enroll in the Certified Mental Health Advocate training course:

1. Access to the training course for 120 days. The course is 100% online, on a gradual release schedule, and then once all the content is available, you may view it at your own pace within the timeframe.

2. Support & assistance with any questions or clarification needed throughout the training course.

3. Printed workbook which is designed to become your long-term reference manual so you always have the training content and information at your fingertips.

After passing the Certified Mental Health Advocate certification exam:

You will have earned the CMHA designation!.. you can add "CMHA" as credentials after your name and proudly claim the title Certified Mental Health Advocate as long as you remain active with Center of Training.

NOTE: This certification does not license you, nor prepare you, nor entitle you to conduct counseling sessions, provide treatment, or otherwise administer professional help to someone in need. Licensed professionals typically have Master's or Doctorate level degrees, have gone through years of practicum and supervised experience, and maintain a professional licensure.   The CMHA certification allows you to claim knowledge about mental health foundations and to provide initial support to those who you interact with, but this training then also teaches you how and when to refer someone to a licensed and specialty-trained professional for ongoing treatment.

The CMHA Exam

After completing the training course you will be eligible to take the CMHA certification exam.

1. The exam is online and asks 100 questions covering the training course material.

2. You must pass with a 90% score or better to earn the certification.

3. You will have access to the exam for up to 30 days, and will have 2 attempts to pass the exam. If not passed the first time, we require a 72-hour waiting period and a 1-on-1 tutoring session to help you be successful on the 2nd attempt and in your role as a CMHA.

Where is the CMHA certification recognized?

The CMHA program is a certification rather than a license, and so it is recognized everywhere. Different types of training documentation and privileges are defined here:

1. Certificate of training -- this is a certificate/document provided when someone completes a training class which simply shows the training was attended or completed.  You can earn a certificate of training by completing the wellness programs specialist training course but not taking the exam. This does not enable you to use the credentials or claim yourself as a CMHA.

2. Certification -- credentials and designation which is earned by completing a training program and passing a proficiency and knowledge examination. The provider/host of a certification program must be a subject matter expert who is qualified to teach and test the training content provided. Center of Training qualifies as a provider of certification in mental health and wellness programs. Read our "About Us" page here.

3. License -- a government-issued (typically) right to provide professional services within a particular location (state, etc.). The CMHA is not a license, and does not train anyone to provide professional services like counseling, etc.

Tuition / Costs

Costs & fees below are per person. We do offer group discounts for 5 or more enrollees from the same organization. Email us at [email protected] for more information.

Course/Exam:

- Training Course (Certified Mental Health Advocate) enrollment tuition:  $195/person
- CMHA Certification Exam: $100/person
- Training Course & Certification Exam Bundle: $250/person

Renewal/Continuing Education (CE):

- Annual CMHA Certification Renewal:  $100
- Annual 1 CE Course:  $50 
- Annual Renewal + 1 CE Hour Bundle:  $150

Maintaining the Certification

Once you pass the exam and graduate from the CMHA program you may use the CMHA designation credentials as long as you remain active. The following are required to retain active status as a CMHA:

1. Annual renewal on your graduation anniversary date.

2. One (1) hour of CE (continuing education) training provided by Center of Training each year.  Every CMHA will take the same CE classes for the purpose of standardization and cumulative learning - we want the CMHA certification to be held at a very high standard so that anyone seeing you have earned this CMHA designation knows that you have gained extensive knowledge and are continuing to learn and stay current on wellness program topics.

Please note that the CMHA certification belongs to the individual and not to any employing organization.

How to Enroll

To enroll choose from:
~ 1-payment course enrollment ($195)
or
~ Course enrollment & exam bundle ($250)

When enrolling, use the email address you will want to use as your login username. This will also be the email address where you will receive program reminders and updates as well as your certificate and other program-related information and resources. Be sure to enter your name as you would want it to be reflected on course materials, certificates, etc.