Community Training
We partner with organizations across West Virginia to build skills, increase understanding, and make support part of everyday life.
Join Us for a Free Training on West Virginia Helplines!
1 HOUR
Accessing and navigating resources can be overwhelming—for both clients and providers. First Choice Services operates several statewide helplines and programs designed to make it easier to connect people with the support they need.
Whether it’s mental health, addiction, gambling, crisis support, health insurance, or employment assistance, we’re here to help.
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This training will introduce you to key programs including:
1-800-GAMBLER
HELP4WV
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Jobs & Hope
WV Navigator
FCS Peers
Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)
Learn how each program can support your clients—and help lighten your workload. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your toolkit and connect with vital resources! This program is ideal for helping professionals, including social workers, therapists, peers, teachers, and nurses.
safeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone
4 HOURS
safeTALK is a proven, internationally recognized training that teaches participants how to recognize the signs of suicide and act by connecting someone to life-saving help. In just four hours, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to support someone in crisis—no clinical background needed.
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In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to:
Recognize signs that someone may be thinking about suicide
Start a conversation in a direct and supportive way
Connect the person to trained professionals and crisis resources
Understand how to overcome stigma and myths about suicide
Whether you’re a community member, teacher, first responder, peer support specialist, or youth worker, safeTALK empowers you to be a key part of a safety network.
Problem Gambling in West Virginia: Awareness & Resources
1 HOUR
Gambling addiction is a growing issue across West Virginia, impacting individuals, families, and entire communities. This presentation from the 1-800-GAMBLER program sheds light on the realities of problem gambling in our state—who it affects, how it develops, and what resources are available to help.
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In this session, we’ll cover:
Signs and symptoms of gambling addiction
Risk factors and how gambling affects mental health
Treatment and support services available in West Virginia
How the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline connects people to free, confidential help
Whether you're a service provider, educator, community leader, or someone personally affected by problem gambling, this presentation offers valuable insight and tools.
Youth Gaming and Gambling: The Coming Crisis
1 HOUR
Today’s youth are growing up in a digital world where the line between gaming and gambling is increasingly blurred. From loot boxes and sports betting ads to online casinos and video game addiction, young people face risks that many adults don’t yet fully understand.
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This is an eye-opening presentation that explores the growing connection between gaming, gambling, and mental health. Designed for parents, educators, counselors, and youth-serving professionals, this session equips participants with the knowledge to recognize early warning signs and respond effectively.
Topics include:What is gaming disorder and how does it develop
How gambling behaviors are introduced through video games and online platforms
Signs of risky behavior in teens and young adults
The mental health impact of problem gaming and gambling
How the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline and treatment resources can help
This training is ideal for parents and educators.
Motivational Interviewing Training: Helping People Move Toward Change
TIME VARIES—CUSTOMIZABLE
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, person-centered counseling style proven to help people explore and resolve ambivalence toward behavior change. Whether you're working in healthcare, behavioral health, social services, or corrections, MI is a powerful tool to enhance your conversations and outcomes.
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This training is designed for professionals who want to:
Strengthen their communication and engagement skills
Learn how to guide—not push—clients toward meaningful change
Use evidence-based techniques to reduce resistance and build motivation
Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, you’ll gain practical strategies you can use right away to support clients with issues like substance use, mental health, chronic health conditions, and more.
CIT for Dispatchers
8 HOURS
CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training for dispatchers equips them to recognize mental health crises, understand mental illness, and de-escalate situations by providing vital information to first responders and connecting callers to appropriate services.
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The training enables dispatchers to identify potential mental health-related calls, begin the de-escalation process, and triage calls effectively, ultimately improving outcomes and promoting safety for all involved.
Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) for Law Enforcement
8 HOURS
ICAT is an evidence-based training program developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) for first-responding police officers. It provides officers with skills and options for de-escalating a range of critical incidents, particularly those involving unarmed or non-firearm-armed individuals who are in crisis. The training is built around a "Critical Decision-Making Model" and emphasizes the sanctity of human life.
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This training is designed for professionals who want to:
Strengthen their communication and engagement skills
Learn how to guide—not push—clients toward meaningful change
Use evidence-based techniques to reduce resistance and build motivation
Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, you’ll gain practical strategies you can use right away to support clients with issues like substance use, mental health, chronic health conditions, and more.
Handle with Care
1 HOURS
The HWC program provides the school or child care agency with a “heads up” when a child has been identified at the scene of a traumatic event. Police and other first responders are trained to identify when children are likely to suffer a traumatic reaction to an incident. They then submit a confidential Handle With Care notice that goes to the child’s school and simply says . . . “Handle Johnny with care”. The notification lets school staff know to provide extra support and accommodations to the youth without sharing any details of the incident. Learn more about the program and how you can help keep children safe from further trauma using Handle With Care.
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This training is designed for professionals who want to:
Strengthen their communication and engagement skills
Learn how to guide—not push—clients toward meaningful change
Use evidence-based techniques to reduce resistance and build motivation
Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, you’ll gain practical strategies you can use right away to support clients with issues like substance use, mental health, chronic health conditions, and more.
Integrating Communications, Assessment, & Tactics (I.C.A.T.)
12 HOURS
An innovative, evidence-based approach to use-of-force training, ICAT provides first responding police officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to defuse a range of critical incidents successfully and safely. ICAT was developed by PERF (Police Executive Research Forum) with input from hundreds of law enforcement professionals nationwide. It is currently being taught in police agencies of all sizes and in all parts of the country.
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ICAT focuses on situations involving persons in crisis and those who are unarmed or armed with weapons other than firearms. The training program is anchored by the Critical Decision-Making Model that helps officers assess situations, make safe and effective decisions, and document and learn from their actions. ICAT incorporates different skill sets into a unified training approach that emphasizes scenario-based exercises, as well as lecture and case study opportunities.
Helping Someone in Crisis: Suicide Awareness & Intervention
1 HOUR
When someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, knowing how to respond can make all the difference. This one-hour presentation offers practical guidance and life-saving information on how to recognize a mental health crisis and provide meaningful support.
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Participants will learn:
Common warning signs of suicide and emotional crisis
How to talk with someone who may be suicidal—what to say (and what not to)
Simple, effective steps to offer support and connect them with help
Resources like the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) and local services available in West Virginia
Whether you’re a teacher, parent, friend, or frontline worker, this training can prepare you to act with confidence and compassion when it matters most.
Learn Mental Health First Aid!
8 HOURS
Want to feel more confident helping someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis? Join our Mental Health First Aid course and gain the tools to recognize warning signs, offer support, and connect people with the help they need.
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What you’ll learn:
How to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges
Proven strategies to de-escalate crisis situations
How to be a source of hope and connection
Whether you're a teacher, parent, coworker, first responder, or friend—you can make a difference.
Gambling and Recovery: Understanding the Overlap
1 HOUR
A Problem Gambling Awareness Presentation for the SUD Recovery Community
For individuals in recovery from substance use disorders, the risk of developing a gambling problem is significantly higher, but it’s often overlooked. This presentation shines a light on the critical connection between problem gambling and addiction recovery.
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We’ll explore:
The comorbidity of gambling disorder and substance use disorder
Why individuals in recovery may be more vulnerable to gambling problems
Early warning signs and how gambling can impact recovery progress
Strategies for screening, prevention, and peer support
How the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline offers free, confidential help across West Virginia
First Responders: The Impact of a Moment
1 HOUR
First responders often meet people during their darkest and most difficult moments. When those individuals are struggling with behavioral health challenges or substance use disorders, these encounters can be especially complex—and at times, disheartening. But what happens after that moment? Sometimes, it’s exactly that interaction that becomes a turning point.
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Join us to hear powerful, true stories of how encounters with first responders sparked a journey toward recovery and wellness. These stories serve as a reminder that even in the toughest calls, your actions matter and can change lives.
CIT Training for First Responders: Enhance Your Crisis Response
40 HOURS
First responders often encounter individuals during their most challenging moments. When these situations involve mental health or substance use crises, the need for a compassionate and informed approach is paramount. The West Virginia Crisis Intervention Team (WVCIT) offers specialized training designed to equip first responders with the skills necessary to manage such crises effectively. You can take part in this one-hour training to learn more details on how the full 40-hour CIT training can help your team.
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Key Benefits of CIT Training:
Increased Safety: Trained responders are better prepared to handle mental health crises without escalating the situation, ensuring the safety of both the individual and the responder.
Improved Collaboration: CIT training fosters enhanced coordination between first responders, dispatchers, and behavioral health teams, leading to more effective crisis interventions.
Fewer Repeat Calls: By addressing the root causes of crises, CIT-trained responders can reduce the frequency of repeat emergency calls, allowing resources to be allocated more efficiently.
Compassionate Response: The training emphasizes empathy and understanding, ensuring individuals in distress receive appropriate and compassionate care, including access to treatment or other needed services.
WVCIT's training programs are tailored to meet the needs of various emergency service professionals, including firefighters, paramedics, and 911 dispatchers. By participating, you can enhance your ability to respond to mental health emergencies with skill and care.
ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
16 HOURS
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is an internationally recognized, two-day, interactive workshop that teaches "suicide first-aid" skills. It is designed for anyone over the age of 16 who wants to learn how to help a person who may be at risk of suicide.
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The training is based on a person-centered prevention model that enables caregivers to collaborate with the at-risk person to create a safety plan. ASIST is developed by LivingWorks, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention training.
Emotional Intelligence
8 HOURS
Emotional intelligence (EI) training is a structured process designed to enhance an individual's ability to recognize, understand, and manage their own emotions, as well as to understand and influence the emotions of others.
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This training typically focuses on building core EI competencies like self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills through reflection, feedback, and practical exercises, ultimately leading to improved personal well-being, stronger relationships, and greater professional success
Naloxone Administration Training
30 MINS
Naloxone training is a program that educates individuals on how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses using naloxone, an emergency medication that can reverse the effects of opioids.
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Purpose of Naloxone Training:
To equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to identify the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose.
To teach how to administer naloxone safely and effectively.
To provide information on where to obtain naloxone and other support resources.
Dolan De-Escalation Training "Surviving Verbal Conflict"
4-8 HOURS
Dolan de-escalation training focuses on equipping public safety and other professionals with time-tested verbal and non-verbal communication skills to safely de-escalate volatile situations and hostile encounters. The training aims to improve officer safety and well-being, enhance community relations by fostering peaceful interactions, and build skills to handle individuals in distress or crisis, potentially reducing injuries and fatalities during interactions. Key aspects include practical skill-building, understanding how to manage stress from hostile encounters, and promoting a common definition of de-escalation within the field.
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Verbal De-escalation training provides public safety professionals with time-tested communication skills proven to help de-escalate volatile situations, safeguard fellow officers’ emotional and professional well-being, and significantly enhance the agency’s professional image.
Course Objectives may include:
Improve public safety professionals’ verbal communication skills
How to apply Rhetoric- Aristotle’s Art of Persuasion (The art of using speech to persuade) when deflecting & redirecting verbal abuse
Develop an understanding of Chief Dolan’s “Guardians of the Peace” concept, “Language of the Street Fallacy,” and “TUI Pattern” (texting, typing or talking under the influence)
Defuse potentially volatile verbal encounters
Avoid the “Rope-A-Dope Syndrome”
Understand the importance of managing “Hyper vigilance”
Raise organizational morale and grasp the concept of “Police Legitimacy”
Manage your verbal triggers & sidestep the “Niagara Falls Walk”
Significantly enhance the agency’s image throughout the community
Practice “Verbal Contact & Cover” principles
Apply the FAA’s “Sterile Cockpit Rule” on duty
Understand the importance of “Chief Dolan’s 24 Hour Rule” as a key component of communication success
Crisis De-Escalation 101
1 HOUR
Learn the very basics of crisis de-escalation. This course teaches individuals to use proven communication, body language, and empathy techniques to diffuse tense situations, calm agitated individuals, and prevent behaviors from escalating to violence.
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The training focuses on understanding how crises develop, recognizing warning signs, and using strategies like active listening and validation to address underlying feelings, ultimately leading to safer outcomes and more effective interventions.
Customized Trainings
Not seeing the training you need? We offer free continuing education units for social workers, counselors, and addiction professionals.