Who benefits from Mental Health First Aid Training?
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare identifies that each year, an estimated 1 in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness. Considering this, it’s inevitable that we all have someone close to us struggling with mental health, making it important to know the signs and how to effectively respond to someone who is having a difficult time.
Stigmatising attitudes and lack of knowledge can often inhibit individuals from providing the appropriate support to those around them, as well as preventing those struggling from seeking appropriate support early on. Mental Health First Aid Training courses are run by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia, a not-for-profit foundation with a vision of creating communities where everyone is equip with first aid skills to support those experiencing mental health illness(es).
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia’s training courses are voluntary and evidence-based, developed to teach participants how to support an individual developing or experiencing deterioration in a mental health problem. These programs equip participants with the skills and confidence to start important conversations with those around them, in addition to recommending professional support if required.
Several MHFA core courses available to complete, including:
- Standard Mental Health First Aid
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Older Person Mental Health First Aid
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid
- Teen Mental Health First Aid
- Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid
Specialised courses include:
- Conversations about suicide
- Talking about suicide – specialised for adults assisting an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours
- Conversations about non-suicidal self-injury
- Conversations about gambling
- Talking about gambling - specialised for adults assisting an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders’ experiencing gambling problems.
MHFA’s diverse program catalogue ensures individuals of all ages and backgrounds can gain relevant knowledge and appropriate response skills. MHFA’s training is suitable for workplaces and schools, as well as individuals – no matter the setting, it’s important for all of us to have mental health support and guidance in our live.s
Suitable to all Australians, Mental Health First Aid Traning increases mental health literacy, changes the perceived stigma around mental health and contributes to decreasing the burden of mental health.
Learn more about the Humanity Code’s team and services on the Humanity Code website.