The 12-hour Standard Mental Health First Aid course teaches people (18 years and over) how to offer initial support to adults who are developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health crisis, until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves. The course curriculum is evidences-based, as informed by the MHFA Guidelines (/cms/guidelines).
What the course covers
Course participants learn about the signs and symptoms of the common and disabling mental health problem, how to provide initial help, where and how to get professional help, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation.

Developing mental health problems covered are:

• Depression
• Anxiety problems
• psychosis
• Substance use problems

Mental health crisis situations covered are:

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
• Non-suicidal self-injury (sometimes called deliberate self-harm)
• Panic attacks
• Traumatic events
• Severe effects of drug or alcohol use
• Severe psychotic stress
• Aggressive behaviours

Course participants receive a copy of the Standard MHFA Manual to keep and are able to be assessed for their 3 year accreditation upon completion.