Mental Health First Aid Canada
Name
Date
Mental Health First Aid Canada
What is MHFA?
• The help provided to a person
developing a mental health problem or
experiencing a mental health crisis.
• First aid is given until treatment is
received or crisis is resolved
• Based on the model of medical first aid
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Medical First Aid
• First Aid is the help given to an injured
person before medical treatment can be
obtained. The aims of any first aid are to:
– Preserve life
– Prevent deterioration of injury or illness
– Promote healing
– Provide comfort to the ill or injured
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
• The aims of MHFA are to:
– Preserve life where a person may be a
danger to self or others
– Provide help to prevent a mental health
problem from becoming more serious
– Promote recovery of good mental health
– Provide comfort to a person experiencing a
mental health problem
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Why Mental Health First Aid
• Mental Health problems are common
• There is stigma/discrimination
associated with mental health problems
• Many people are not well informed
about mental health problems
• Professional help is not always on hand
• People often do not know how to
respond
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Origins of MHFA
• Developed in Australia at Centre for
Mental Health Research, Australian
National University
• Has spread to Scotland, Hong Kong, Sri
Lanka, Finland and Canada
• Part of national mental health strategies
in Australia and Scotland
Mental Health First Aid Canada
About MHFA Canada
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12-hour course
Flexible delivery format
Interactive
Practical
For anyone – general public, teachers,
health service providers, emergency
workers, employers, etc.
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Topics
• What is meant by mental health and
mental illness
• Signs and symptoms of common mental
health problems and crisis situations
• Basic 5-step model to provide first aid
• Info about interventions and treatments
• How to guide someone toward
professional help
Mental Health First Aid Canada
The Five Basic Steps
• Assess risk of suicide or harm
• Listen non-judgmentally
• Give reassurance and information
• Encourage the person to get
appropriate professional help
• Encourage self-help strategies
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Mental Health Problems
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Mood Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Psychosis
Substance Use Disorders
Mental Health First Aid Canada
Crisis Situations
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Suicidal behaviour
Panic attacks
Reactions to traumatic events
Acute psychosis
Overdoses
Mental Health First Aid Canada
For each disorder
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Signs and symptoms
Variations of the disorder
Risk factors
First aid, including crisis first aid
Effective treatments
Mental Health First Aid Canada
MHFA Canada Instructors
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Instructors trained over 5 days
Certified to train the 12-hour course
Background in mental health
Teach 3 courses a year to maintain
certification
Mental Health First Aid Canada
MHFA Canada Infrastructure
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Master Facilitators
Canadian course materials
Evaluation
Develop new modules/adapt for specific
groups – youth, aboriginal, seniors
Mental Health First Aid Canada
MHFA Canada in Schools
• Funding from provincial government to
train at least one person in every school
• Materials currently being adapted for
youth, plus development of 2 extra
modules – eating disorders, self-harm