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

Mental Health First Aid Canada

NameDate


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


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 (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


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


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


About MHFA Canada

• 12-hour course

• Flexible delivery format

• Interactive

• Practical

• For anyone – general public, teachers, health service providers, emergency workers, employers, etc.


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


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 Problems

• Mood Disorders

• Anxiety Disorders

• Psychosis

• Substance Use Disorders


Crisis Situations

• Suicidal behaviour

• Panic attacks

• Reactions to traumatic events

• Acute psychosis

• Overdoses


For each disorder

• Signs and symptoms

• Variations of the disorder

• Risk factors

• First aid, including crisis first aid

• Effective treatments


MHFA Canada Instructors

• Instructors trained over 5 days

• Certified to train the 12-hour course

• Background in mental health

• Teach 3 courses a year to maintain certification


MHFA Canada Infrastructure

• Master Facilitators

• Canadian course materials

• Evaluation

• Develop new modules/adapt for specific groups – youth, aboriginal, seniors


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

Documents

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