Mental Health First Aid Guidelines Project
A project is underway to produce guidelines for first aid for a range of developing mental disorders and mental health crisis situations. These guidelines are being produced using the Delphi method, which a systematic way of assessing the consensus of a panel of experts. The guidelines consist of first aid actions that have been rated as important or essential by expert panels of professionals, consumers and carers. So far, the following guidelines have been produced:
- Depression: Guidelines & Article
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviours: Guidelines & Article
- Psychosis: Guidelines & Article
- Deliberate self-injury without suicidal intent: Guidelines
Future guidelines are planned to cover:
- Traumatic experiences
- Panic attacks
- Eating disorders
- Problem drinking
Mental Health First Aid Guidelines for Other Cultures
The above guidelines have been developed for use in developed English-speaking countries. They may not be applicable in other cultures or with minority cultures within developed English-speaking countries. Projects are underway to develop guidelines that can be applied in other cultural groups. The following guidelines are currently available:
- MHFA Guidelines for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – Cultural Considerations: Guidelines
- MHFA Guidelines for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples - Depression: Guidelines
- MHFA Guidelines for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples - Psychosis: Guidelines
- MHFA Guidelines for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples - Suicide: Guidelines
- MHFA Guidelines for Psychosis in Asian countries: Guidelines & Article