Q1. Can you please tell me where there is a MHFA Instructor running courses in my area?
Q2. What is the cost of attending the 12 hour MHFA Course?
Q3. Please tell me about the CALD versions of the MHFA Program.
Q4. Does the MHFA course teach about suicide prevention?
Q5. Are there differences between Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Psychological First Aid?
Q8. Does the MHFA course teach about borderline personality disorders?
Q9. Is there a MHFA course developed or adapted for people working with older persons?
Q10. Can I claim CPD points by attending a Mental Health First Aid course?
Q1. Can you please tell me where there is a MHFA Instructor running courses in my area?
The instructors names, contact details and locations are listed on this website under ‘Find an Instructor’
Having an ‘almost local’ instructor will help to limit the costs of travel to and from the instructor’s home base. A desirable course size is up to 20 people with one instructor. The MHFA Program does not employ the MHFA Instructors and therefore each MHFA Instructor has autonomy and flexibility to set their fees.We recommend modest fees on a sliding scale. However, Instructors need to be able to cover their costs. Some Instructors teach the MHFA course as part of their paid employment, and thus have a salary whilst teaching. Others conduct the MHFA course as a private business. Fees can be reduced if any of the following items are provided for the Instructors:
- the venue
- tea and coffee
- equipment (VCR & TV, whiteboard, overhead projector (or data projector and laptop)
A fee of $100-$300 per person could be expected.
Please contact one of our instructors after looking at the website again. Each instructor listing has a brief Instructor profile, which you can access by clicking on their name. If you have difficulties locating an available instructor we will see what we can do to assist.
Q2. What is the cost of attending the 12 hour MHFA Course?
The MHFA Program at the University of Melbourne, ORYGEN Research Centre does not employ the MHFA Instructors that it trains and accredits and therefore each MHFA Instructor has autonomy & flexibility to set their fees. We recommend modest fees, on a sliding scale. However, Instructors need to be able to cover their costs. Some Instructors teach the MHFA course as part of their paid employment, and thus have a salary whilst teaching. Others conduct the MHFA course as a private business.
Fees can be reduced, if any of the following items are provided by your office :
- the venue
- tea and coffee
- equipment (VCR & TV, whiteboard, overhead projector (or data projector and laptop)
A fee of $100 – $300 per person could be expected.
Q3. Please tell me about the CALD versions of the MHFA Program.
We have a Vietnamese version of the Edition 1 Standard Course. The main modifications were to make the Vietnamese version of the MHFA course sensitive to the beliefs and views of Vietnamese culture. Asian cultures very often view mental illnesses as physical symptoms. The format of the 12hr course is similar to the Standard MHFA course. The modified MHFA manual and PPT slides are translated.
So far, we have only had one Instructor Training course to train Vietnamese Instructors. They need to meet our regular criteria and also be bilingual and accepted as one of the CALD community they are training for. Hence the MHFA Instructors who teach the Vietnamese MHFA course are Vietnamese and also trained as a mental health professional here in Australia e.g., psychologist, social worker etc.
With funding from beyondblue we are currently adapting the Standard course into simplified and traditional Chinese for Chinese Australians, which is due to be launched in 2012.
Q4. Does the MHFA course teach about suicide prevention?
Suicide prevention is one of the aims of MHFA, but is not the main focus. We see MHFA as being complementary to more specialised suicide prevention training such as ASIST and recommend it to trainees as an additional course they can do.
Q5. Are there differences between Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Psychological First Aid?
The main differences between MHFA and Psychological First Aid (PSA) as follows:
1. MHFA has a broader focus. We have defined it as follows: “Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional treatment is received or until the crisis resolves “. Thus, it includes the full range of developing mental disorders and associated crises. PSA is usually solely focused on response to disasters.
2. MHFA does give some training in how to respond to a person who has experienced a traumatic event. However, this training is much less detailed than in Psychological First Aid.
3. In Australia Psychological First Aid is often given by people with some specialist mental health training. MHFA training is designed for non health professionals. The first aider’s role stops once appropriate professional help is reached.
Q6. Has the MHFA course been mapped in NTIS? It would be good to offer an accredited statement of attainment?
No, the 12-hour Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course has not been mapped in NTIS.
The MHFA Training and Research Program has completed a five year research project to develop National MHFA Guidelines. We are currently investigating to set up a MHFA International entity to hold these guidelines to which a MHFA course may be accredited. It will be similar to the way National First Aid Standards (which are used to develop and update Red Cross, St Johns Ambulance etc First Aid Courses) are held by the Australian Resuscitation Council.
Some TAFE institutions in NSW and the ACT have made the 12-hour MHFA course eligible as recognised prior learning for the Cert IV in Mental Health (non-clinical).
Q7. Please tell me more about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA) course.
The AMHFA course is a 14-hour course developed in close consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The course is divided into 6 modules. Course delivery is flexible according to community and workplace needs. The course provides information on social and emotional wellbeing, loss & grief and mental health issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It teaches first aid skills for assisting community members with the following mental illnesses and mental health crisis situations – depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, substance use disorders, suicidal thinking and behaviour, panic attacks and a person who is psychotic and appears threatening. The course provides information on how and where to seek culturally appropriate mental health and counselling services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The course is delivered by accredited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructors as well as non-Aboriginal instructors with extensive experience in Aboriginal communities and special training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid.
Q8. Does the MHFA course teach about borderline personality disorders?
The label of “borderline personality disorder” is usually not mentioned in the Standard MHFA course except in passing. The MHFA team believes that this is not a label that first aiders should be encouraged to use. It is a highly stigmatized term which may not assist people to be well treated by others. It is better to stick to presenting problems rather than use any “personality disorder” labels in a first aid context.
We really don’t know what to teach in the MHFA course about first aid for personality disorders (PD). There is such a dearth of evidence of what helps PD even at the clinical / therapeutic level. There is no evidence-based information in the literature about what helps at the first aid level.
The Youth and Standard course have a chapter on non suicidal self injury.
A source of information on personality disorders can be found at the following website from SPECTRUM (Spectrum is the Personality Disorders Service for Victoria): www.spectrumbpd.com.au/
Q9 Is there a MHFA course developed or adapted for people working with older persons?
The current MHFA courses include a 12-hour Standard MHFA course, a 14 hour Youth MHFA course for people working with youth, and a 14 hour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA course. The MHFA course has not been adapted for older persons. We do not have any current plans to adapt the MHFA course for older persons. However, we do have accredited MHFA instructors from Older Persons Mental Health backgrounds who conduct the Standard MHFA course for staff working with older persons. The instructors use their clinical knowledge and understanding of mental health issues in the aged when presenting the course.
Q10 Can I claim CPD points by attending a Mental Health First Aid course?
We are currently going through the process of having the Mental Health First Aid Course accredited by professional bodies for CPD. As of October 2011, the 12 hour Standard Mental Health First Aid course has been accredited by the following professional bodies:
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Royal College of Nursing Australia
This short course has been endorsed by Royal College of Nursing, Australia, according to approved criteria. Attendance attracts 10.5 RCNA Continuing Nurse Education (CNE) points as part of RCNA’s Life Long Learning Program (3LP). |
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Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
Accreditation number: CX110058. This activity has been accredited for 24 CPD credits of Group 2 activity suitable for inclusion in an individual’s pharmacist’s CPD plan. |
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Occupational Therapy Australia
By attending this CPD event, you may claim up to 6 CPD hours in Category 5 towards your Occupational Therapist Program CPD Points requirements. |
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Australian Association of Social Workers
Successful completion of the Standard Mental Health First Aid course earns double CPD points, i.e. 2 points per learning hour. |
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College of Mental Health Nurses
Successful completion of the Standard Mental Health First Aid course earns 12 CMHN continuing professional education (CPE) points. |
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Australian College of Midwives
12 MidPLUS Points has been approved for midwives who complete this activity. |
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Australian Practice Nurses Association
This activity has been endorsed by APNA according to approved criteria. Completion of this educational activity entitles eligible participants to claim 12 CPD hours. |
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Australian Physiotherapy Association This activity has been approved for Interim Accreditation by the Australian Physiotherapy Association and each participant will be able to accrue one hour of CPD for each hour attended of this course. |
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Chiropractor’s Association of Australia This program has been assessed by the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (National) Ltd, on behalf of the Chiropractic Board of Australia, and allocated 12 Formal Learning Activity Hours. |
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Fitness Australia This program has been approved by Fitness Australia for 12 CEC’s. |
The outcomes of applications with other professional bodies will be provided on this page when available.
In addition, for the following professions, if a relevant CPD learning goal can be met by a Mental Health First Aid course, course attendance can be claimed as continuing professional development (CPD):
- Psychologists
- Teachers
- Dieticians
- Speech Pathologists
- Audiologists
- Lawyers in some states and territories of Australia
- Orthotists and Prosthetists
Q11 Why does the MHFA course have information about diagnoses of mental illness? I believe that labeling and diagnosing people makes them feel abnormal is not helpful in the process of recovery.
One of the most important aims of the MHFA course is dispelling the myths and stigma associated with mental illness and what we teach is designed with this in mind. Many of the members of the MHFA team have a history of mental illness ourselves, and others are carers.
Something we say right from the beginning of our course is that the course does not qualify anyone to make a diagnosis. Diagnosing is not part of the curriculum. We talk a little about how mental illnesses are diagnosed, but the focus is well and truly on recognising that someone is not traveling well and assisting them to get the help that is needed. MHFA participants learn to recognise clusters of symptoms and refer a person to appropriate help. This, we feel, is very important. Many symptoms of mental illness are misunderstood by the community and result in people being further isolated. For example, irritability, social withdrawal and difficulty with day to day social interactions can result in being ostracised. In adolescents, many symptoms of mental health problems can be met with a disciplinary response rather than a caring one, particularly at school.
We spend a lot more time talking about being non-judgmental, listening, providing support (both emotional and practical) and encouraging the person to call on the support of the people around them while doing things that help them to feel better. Also, participants learn how to respond in a crisis. This is essential because it is usually friends, family or co-workers who will be in a better position to help in times of crisis. For example, with some skills and training, a close friend or family member can recognise signs that a person is feeling suicidal, and assist them.
Research has shown us that attending the course improves people’s attitudes, helps them to more readily recognise that someone is in need of help and provide appropriate help. The success of the program is reflected in the national and international recognition and spread.
We appreciate that some people have had unpleasant or distressing experiences in the mental health system. We teach that professional help should be sought and that evidence-based treatments are effective for most people. We also encourage participants to advocate for the people they are assisting, in hopes that this will make the process easier.