VitalCog

VitalCog is an interactive course that helps you understand your role in suicide prevention. We provide VitalCog for 4 specific populations: Athletics Staff, Student-Athletes, in Construction, and in the Workplace. Each course content is tailored specifically to the respective setting. You’ll learn to build protective factors and safety nets, identify risk factors and warning signs, and practice conversations around suicide.

In partnership with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Behavioral Health Division, we are currently offering free VitalCog courses to businesses, organizations, teams, and athletic departments in North Dakota. Additional course information is below.

We provide courses in 2 ways

Courses are free for anyone living or working in North Dakota (fees apply for courses outside North Dakota). This effort is associated with North Dakota’s State Suicide Prevention Program, funded by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Behavioral Health Division (BHD).

Our instructors have extensive experience with the mental health landscape, providing instruction to adult audiences, and are a sought-after trainers within the sport ecosystem and workplace/corporate settings. Upon successful completion of any VitalCog course, participants are certified for two years.

Courses open to anyone

We offer free virtual (via Zoom) courses that are open to anyone living or working in North Dakota. Click the button below to see our current course offerings.

Some courses offer continuing education for various disciplines (strength & conditioning, athletic training, and social work). See each registration page for details.

Requested by an organization

Courses are offered virtually (via Zoom) or in-person in the Grand Forks area. Each course is 60 to 120 minutes in duration depending upon the module chosen (see below for details about each module).

We need a minimum of 5 registrants to hold a course, and each course is limited to 30 participants.

VitalCog Modules

  • VitalCog for Construction

    This program is designed to help construction workplaces appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about workplace mental health changes. The program builds a business case for suicide prevention while promoting help-seeking and help-giving. 

    Courses are free for construction businesses in North Dakota and $500 otherwise.

    Request a Course
  • Woman running up a hill as the sun is setting on the water. Text reads VitalCog. Suicide prevention for student-athletes. Contact Erin Haugen to learn more. bit.ly/vitalcog

    VitalCog for Student-Athletes

    This program is designed to help student-athletes appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue, critical thinking about mental health challenges in sport, and promoting help-seeking and help-giving. We offer courses for student-athlete groups, organizations, and teams (ages 18+).

    Courses are free for student-athletes in North Dakota and $750 per course otherwise.

    Request a Course

  • VitalCog for the Workplace

    This program is designed to help workplaces appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about workplace mental health changes. The program builds a business case for suicide prevention while promoting help-seeking and help-giving. 

    Courses are free for workplaces in North Dakota and $750 otherwise.

    Request a Course

  • VitalCog for Athletics Staff

    This program is designed to help athletic staff appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue, critical thinking about mental health challenges among student-athletes, and ways to promote help-seeking and help-giving in sport. Continuing education credits may be available.

    Courses are free for athletic departments, organizations, & teams in North Dakota and $750 otherwise.

    Request a Course

FAQs

  • Yes! MHFA & QPR courses can be given entirely online, so you can complete them from the comfort of your own home or within your work environment.

  • Yes! We are happy to provide in-person instruction for no additional fee in the Grand Forks, ND area. Outside of that area, additional charges apply. Contact us to discuss details!

  • Unfortunately, no. The courses are highly interactive. We also want to create and maintain safety for participants. Therefore, we cannot record the instructor-led portion for later viewing.

    We do have a number of on-demand courses related to athlete mental health that you are welcome to view.

  • Unfortunately, no. These courses are designed for adult participants only.

  • Yes, we offer CE credits for specific courses offered to medical and mental health professionals (listed as “for Professionals”). We are an approved CE provider for the BOC and the NDBSWE.

  • Yes! Thanks to our generous donors we offer scholarships. Please contact us to discuss details.

  • Absolutely! Our goal is to offer this to as many people as we can, and your generous donation allows us to do this! Visit the link below to learn more.

Give the Gift of MHFA, QPR, & VitalCog

Supporting a friend, community member, colleague, employee, loved one, or someone you don’t even know in attending a MHFA or QPR course is invaluable in growing a community of people committed to caring for those experiencing a mental health or substance use concern.

Give a Gift