Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional treatment is received or until the crisis resolves (Kitchener & Jorm, 2002). Mental health first aid strategies are taught in training programs provided by the Mental Health First Aid® Training and Research Program (MHFA).
Read about our MHFA Courses
12 hour Standard course
14 hour Youth course for adults working or living with young people
14 hour course for people working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
12 hour course for people working with Vietnamese communities in AustraliaWho is MHFA training relevant for?
It is recommended that MHFA training becomes a prerequisite for all employed in human services, such as police officers, prison officers, high school teachers, TAFE and university lecturers, social and welfare workers, youth workers, Aboriginal health workers, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, lawyers, dieticians, physiotherapists, chiropractors, security officers, rehabilitation counsellors and anyone in a team leader/management role.
Become an Instructor and teach MHFA in your community or workplace
A 5-day Instructor Training Course accredits suitable candidates to become MHFA Instructors who then deliver the course in their communities or workplaces. Most participants choose to do the course for one of three reasons: their work involves people contact, they have someone close who is affected by a mental health problem, or they see it as their duty as a citizen to learn first aid skills.
About the Mental Health First Aid Training & Research Program
MHFA is an multi-award winning program developed in 2001 by Betty Kitchener and Professor Tony Jorm with the aim to improve the mental health literacy of members of the Australian community. MHFA training can assist in early intervention and in the on-going community support of people with mental illnesses.
The program has solid evidence for its effectiveness from randomised controlled trials and qualitative studies. It increases knowledge, reduces stigma and, most importantly, increases supportive actions. Since 2001, the MHFA Training and Research Program has been developed, evaluated and disseminated across Australia and internationally, and is currently delivered in over 15 other countries. MHFA currently operates under the auspices of the Orygen Youth Health Research Centre at the University of Melbourne.
More Information:
MHFA Program Information Poster (1.7MB) or our Program Summary (210KB)
