Adult Mental Health First Aid

Develop understanding and confidence to respond to emotional and mental health difficulties and support people in distress; and identify resources to promote mental health and wellbeing. This two day course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider.

Course overview

Mental Health First Aid provides a framework for responding to emotional and mental health difficulties including anxiety, self injury, depression, suicide risk and psychosis. There is an emphasis on early intervention, promoting good mental health and linking individuals to resources and services that can help.

You will leave with a comprehensive handbook of guidance and resources to respond to crisis when they occur, look after your own mental health and promote mental health awareness and wellbeing in your workplace, service and community.

Course content and resources includes basic information and guidance to respond to individuals experiencing:

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• Self-harm

• Eating disorders

• Suicide prevention

• Psychosis

MHFA promotes early intervention to enable recovery – it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis.

This course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider. Participants receive:

• a digital manual and ongoing learning events through an Online Learning Hub

• access to resources for post-training support via the MHFAider® support app

• a certificate from MHFA England that will last for 3yrs

Course aims

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.

Course objectives

By the end of the course, you will have had opportunities to:

• Learn how to recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health

• Develop confidence to provide people with first-level support and early intervention

• Learn how to encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports for recovery or successful management of symptoms

• Practise active listening and empathy

• Develop skills to have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma

• Understand the MHFAider® role, including boundaries and confidentiality

• Identify ways to practise self-care

• Know how to use the MHFAider Support App®

• Know how to access a dedicated text service provided by Shout and ongoing learning opportunities with MHFA England.