Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid Program
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid® program provides culturally responsive and community-led training to support the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Licensed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Instructors
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA courses delivered
Australians trained in culturally responsive MHFA
Creating culturally responsive circles of support for all Australians.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience disproportionately high rates of suicide and psychological distress, stemming from the lasting impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and systemic disadvantage.
Since 2007, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA®) program has been working to change this, by providing culturally responsive, strengths-based training that equips individuals, workplaces, schools and communities with the knowledge and skills to offer meaningful support.
Designed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, our program empowers all Australians to recognise, understand, and respond to mental health problems through the lens of social and emotional wellbeing to foster resilience, healing, and connection.
Program overview
Core courses
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA
Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA
Specialised Courses
Talking About Gambling
Talking About Suicide
Talking About Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Become an Instructor
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor Training
Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor Training
A proven, evidence-based program
Evidence-based
MHFA programs are backed by 25 years of high-quality research and evaluation.
Culturally informed
All courses are developed and reviewed by and in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Culturally appropriate
Research has found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA courses to be culturally appropriate and effective.
Rigorously evaluated
Courses consistently improve participants’ mental health literacy, confidence and readiness to support others.
“It is not unusual to deliver these courses in a community, and while I am there, be told of an instance where the information I have taught, that day or the previous day, has saved a life.”
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor
We are working to address:
Psychological distress
Nearly 1 in 3 First Nations people reported high or very high psychological distress in previous 4 weeks
Leading health concerns
Mental health problems are the leading causes of disease burden for First Nations peoples
Impacts of colonisation
Colonisation, racism and intergenerational trauma significantly contribute to these challenges
Core Courses
Browse the core courses available to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing mental health problems or crises.
These courses are suitable for all Australians.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA
For adults to support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander adult experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.
Take the next step:
Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA
For adults to support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander young person experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.
Take the next step:
Youth Yarns MHFA (Coming soon)
For adolescents to support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander young person experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.
Take the next step:
Specialised Courses
For adults to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing a specific mental health problem or crisis situation, including harm from gambling, non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
These courses are suitable for all Australians.
Talking About Suicide
For adults to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
Take the next step:
Talking About Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
For adults to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples engaging in non-suicidal self-injury.
Take the next step:
Talking About Gambling
For adults to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing a gambling problem.
Take the next step:
Become an Instructor
Become an Instructor in your workplace or community to receive your license to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA courses across Australia.
Instructor training for this program is only available for First Nations peoples.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor Training Course
Become licensed to deliver courses to adults to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders adults.
Take the next step:
Youth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor Training Course
Become licensed to deliver courses to adults to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (aged 12-18).
Take the next step:
“Without a doubt, embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA as part of our core module training has saved lives in community.”
Rachel Montgomery,
Australian Red Cross
Get Involved
Mental Health First Aid is committed to growing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid program.
Here’s how you can get involved.
Donate
Every donation helps to expand our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA training across Australia.
Join a fundraising event
Explore upcoming community fundraisers to make your next challenge count.
Share your story
Share stories about the impact of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Program.
Stories of impact
Meet Elsie
“Before I did the course, I didn’t know how to have a conversation. Learning the skills that that course provided me, it played a big impact in my life.”
After completing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA course, Elsie had the skills and confidence to provide initial support to people in distress.
Meet Garrett
“The course gave me the skills and the knowledge to provide targeted support that’s culturally sensitive in a respectful and mindful manner.”
Garrett, a non-Indigenous MHFAider, gained the tools to offer better support through culturally informed training.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Perspectives: Interwoven Journeys of Mental Wellbeing
Artwork by Lani Balzan
This artwork was created for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program team of Mental Health First Aid Australia with the aim of establishing a connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, promoting education, improving mental health literacy, and building capacity to support individuals experiencing mental health problems within these communities.
The centrepiece of the artwork is a symbol known in Aboriginal culture as the gathering symbol. In Aboriginal culture, this symbol serves as a platform for the transmission of cultural knowledge, the maintenance of spiritual connections, and the reinforcement of community and identity among our people. It provides a space for cultural revitalisation, healing, and the preservation of ancestral traditions. In the context of the Mental Health First Aid Australia organisation, this gathering symbol represents a place where our people can receive further education on mental health.
Surrounding the centrepiece are 17 circles, symbolising the Mental Health First Aid courses. These circles are connected to the centrepiece by pathways, which represent the ongoing connection and journey one takes to deepen their education and understanding.
The footprints scattered throughout the artwork symbolise the numerous individuals and staff who work within the organisation to facilitate the courses and provide knowledge to all.
The top and bottom parts of the artwork, depicted in green, symbolise a continued connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections include community symbols, the organisation’s logo, and handprints that represent caring.
The colours used in the artwork align with the branding colours of Mental Health First Aid Australia.
