What to Expect from the Mental Health First Aid at Work Training at NCPERS Public Pension HR Summit

By: Jessica Ransome, Education Associate, NCPERS

This year, NCPERS is bringing a new learning experience to the Public Pension HR Summit. For the first time, attendees will have the opportunity to complete the Mental Health First Aid at Work training and earn a three-year certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

When employees are struggling, they often turn to HR professionals for support. Even with experience and resources available, it can be difficult to know what to say, how to respond, or when additional help may be needed. Mental Health First Aid at Work gives participants a practical framework for handling these situations with greater confidence. The goal is not to turn HR professionals into mental health providers. It is to help them recognize when someone may need support, begin a conversation, and connect that person with appropriate resources.

What Attendees Will Learn

The 2026 Public Pension HR Summit will be held September 23–25 in Phoenix, and the Mental Health First Aid at Work training will take place on Wednesday, September 23, from 9:00 AM–1:00 PM.

The four-hour certification course is designed for employees, managers, and HR professionals. Through instruction, activities, and workplace scenarios, attendees will practice how to:

• Recognize common signs of mental health and substance use challenges
• Approach a colleague who may be struggling
• Respond when someone may be experiencing a crisis
• Provide initial support and connect someone with appropriate help
• Support others while also being mindful of their own wellbeing

The training will be delivered by Mental Health First Aid Maryland, a program of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Its Mental Health First Aid at Work training helps employees, managers, and HR professionals practice skills they can use when a coworker may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.

Why We Added This Training

The Public Pension HR Summit is designed to give attendees more than information. We also want to provide practical tools they can take back to their organizations.

NCPERS has previously highlighted the connection between employee wellbeing and a healthy, engaged workplace. In a Public Pension Profiles conversation, Shunne Powell of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, who is also one of this year’s HR Summit program directors, discussed the importance of work-life balance, strong workplace connections, and self-care while managing the welfare of others.

As the NCPERS Events and Education Department worked with the HR Summit program directors to develop this year’s agenda, we wanted to include something meaningful and actionable. What began as a conversation about incorporating a volunteer activity evolved into an opportunity for attendees to complete Mental Health First Aid at Work training.

Participants will complete the training alongside public pension HR professionals who understand the responsibilities and challenges of working within these organizations. After completing all required course components, attendees will earn a three-year certification and leave with a framework they can continue using after the Summit.

Questions? Contact us at education@ncpers.org.