About Mental Health First Aid Training

What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Canada provides crucial support to individuals developing mental health issues or experiencing a mental health crisis. Similar to physical first aid, MHFA is administered until appropriate professional treatment is available or the crisis is resolved.

The MHFA Canada program is designed to enhance mental health literacy and equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to manage potential or emerging mental health problems. This training is beneficial for self-care, as well as for supporting family members, friends, or colleagues facing mental health challenges.

Who takes Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Canada is beneficial for everyone. Over 300,000 Canadians have already received training, experiencing its positive and lasting impact across the country. From enhancing psychological health and safety in workplaces to supporting schools, community groups, and individuals in Northern Canada, MHFA has made a significant difference from coast to coast.

MHFA is particularly well-suited for workplaces aiming to reduce the incidence of mental health problems and issues, fostering a healthier and more supportive environment for all employees.

Does Mental Health First Aid work?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognized program active in over 20 countries. This evidence-based course has been shown to offer significant positive impacts for participants, their workplaces, communities, and families. Key benefits include:

• Enhanced recognition of the most common mental health problems.

• Reduced social distance from individuals experiencing mental health issues.

• Increased confidence in providing help to others.

• Improved mental health for the MHFA participants themselves.

Course Objectives

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis.

Course participants will learn how to recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis and encourage that person to:

• Talk about declines in their mental well-being

• Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being

• Reach out to these supports

• Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis

• Use MHFA actions to maintain one’s own mental well-being

Course Duration

The course is 8 – 9 hours of content which is approximately 2 hours of self-directed learning for Module 1 and Modules 2 & 3 can be done in the same day, split up into two consecutive days of 3.5 hours each or two non-consecutive days (as long as they are completed within 2 weeks).

Module 1: Self-Directed

• Introduction to the course

• Introduction to MHFA actions

Module 2: Classroom

• Practice applying MHFA actions to situations of declining mental well-being

• Guidelines for MHFA conversations with people from diverse cultures and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community

Module 3: Classroom

• Discussion on using MHFA actions for self-care

• Practice using MHFA actions in crisis situations

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