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Mental Health First Aid Summit Breakouts B

MHFA10 - Beyond the Chair: Training Barbers, Stylists and Service Providers as MHFA Gatekeepers

Sunday, April 26, 2026
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM MDT
Location: Bluebird 2C
NASW CCB NBCC
Unlock the potential of the beauty and wellness industries by turning service providers into MHFA-trained gatekeepers. Drawing from the success of the "More Than a Service Challenge," this session provides a blueprint for engaging barbers, stylists, and trainers who serve as frontline listeners. Instructors will learn to identify partners and replicate this challenge-style initiative in their own communities. Attendees will gain a toolkit of outreach strategies to extend MHFA into the places where people feel most comfortable opening up.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify non-traditional service providers (barbers, stylists, estheticians, trainers, massage therapists) as trusted MHFA gatekeepers.
  • Articulate the unique value proposition of MHFA for service industry professionals to overcome common barriers to participation, such as time constraints and perceived relevance.
  • Develop a plan, such as a More Than a Service Challenge, to introduce MHFA to at least one new service provider audience.
  • Analyze opportunities to engage and partner with service providers and small business owners to expand MHFA training reach in local marketplaces.
  • Develop an actionable outreach plan, such as a "More Than a Service" challenge, to introduce MHFA to at least one new service provider audience within 90 days.
Disclosure(s):
Layla Bluefort, MSW: No financial relationships to disclose
Aaron Evans, LPC-S: No financial relationships to disclose

    Presenter - MHFA Summit(s)

  • Layla Bluefort, MSW

    Mental Health First Aid Instructor
    Train with Lay
    Charlotte, North Carolina

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

    Slides Handouts

    • Moderator - MHFA Summit(s)

  • Aaron Evans, LPC-S

    Psychotherapist, Death Doula, and MHFA National Trainer
    Aaron Evans Counseling and Consulting, PLLC
    Lockhart, Texas

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose