Key Facts
Course Overview
Approximately 20% of Australian adults experience a common mental illness each year. Completing a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Course will help you to develop the skills to support a friend, family member or co-worker.
In this informative and practical course, you will learn about the signs and symptoms of common and disabling mental health problems in adults, 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 mental health first aid in a crisis situation using a practical, evidence-based action plan.
Mental health first aid skills learnt by participants in this course can be applied in any setting. Course content includes case-studies, videos and resources tailored to the learning needs of community/public course participants.
Content was clear, engaging and easily comprehendible. I think the trainer summed up hours’ worth of my psychology degree in 5hrs and went beyond by giving me the confidence to apply it. I have already recommended this course!
What does this course offer?
Mental Health First Aid Training Can Make a Difference
MHFA training is associated with improved knowledge of mental illnesses, their treatments and appropriate first aid strategies, as well as confidence in providing first aid to individuals with mental illness. Research has shown that MHFA training is associated with:
Knowledge: improved knowledge of mental illnesses, their treatments and appropriate first aid strategies.
Confidence: confidence in providing first aid to a person experiencing a mental health problem.
De-Stigmatising: decreases in stigmatising attitudes.
Increased Support: increases in the amount and type of support provided to others.
Learn how you can assist someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis and make a real difference to your community.
Course Structure
The two day MHFA course is available in two workshops, either face-to-face or online, teaching adults (18 years and over) how to provide initial support to adults who are developing a mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Online MHFA Community Course
The new accredited Online MHFA Community Course was developed in response to COVID-19. This course has been adapted from the Standard Mental Health First Aid Course for adults to be suitable for online delivery.
Component 1 – Self-paced interactive eLearning (5-7 hours)
The eLearning course component presents an overview of mental health problems and mental health crises. Developing mental health problems covered include:
- Depression
- Anxiety problems
- Psychosis
- Substance use problems
Mental health crises covered:
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
- Non-suicidal self-injury
- Panic attacks
- Traumatic events
- Severe psychotic states
- Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use
- Aggressive behaviour
This self-paced eLearning (5-7 hours) component of the course is completed on Mental Health First Aid Australia’s eLearning platform, and includes the delivery of a hard copy MHFA Standard Course Manual.
Component 2 – Instructor-led video conferencing (2 x 2.5 hour sessions)
Component 2 follows the completion of Course Component 1 – eLearning. Component 2 provides participants with an opportunity to revise content covered in the self-paced eLearning program and to consolidate the application of this content with the development of practical skills in a group environment online. Course Component 2 provides participants with the opportunity to:
- Revise the eLearning content and the MHFA Action Plan
- Clarify any points of uncertainty remaining after completion of the eLearning modules
- Apply the MHFA Action Plan to relevant scenarios
- Discuss and reflect ‘a where to from now’ in using mental health first aid skills
- Develop a self-care plan to maintain good mental health.
- Both course components of the course are to be completed within a 3-month period.
This course is based on guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals.
Upcoming Course Dates
Component Two Course Dates: Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th November 2022
Time: 10.00am – 12.30pm, both days
Location: The sessions will be held online via Zoom.
2023 course dates will be released soon. To be notified for when enrolments are open, please submit your interest here.
Please note, this course is subject to receiving a minimum number of enrolments. We will email all registered attendees as soon as possible if changes are required. In this case, a free course transfer will also be available to an alternative course date, or a full refund of the course minus any platform ticketing fees.
Standard Mental Health First Aid
The Standard MHFA course is only delivered face-to-face, for private group bookings of 10 or more participants. The course is delivered from 9.00am until 4.00pm, across two days, and can either be scheduled at our head office in 391-393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East VIC 3123, or we can come to your office if you have suitable facilities.
For further information, email the Professional Development Team at pd@cairnmillar.edu.au.
Our Trainers
Ms Mandy Taylor, Clinical Psychologists
Mandy Taylor is a Clinical Psychologist with experience in public mental health, primary care and tertiary education. She enjoys training and supporting early career colleagues including psychiatry registrars, General Practitioners and multidisciplinary colleagues. Mandy is a registered psychology supervisor and has delivered industry training across the education and health sectors, and at a postgraduate tertiary level in the areas of eating disorders, CBT, working with children and their families, psychopathology and evidence-informed psychological interventions. More recently Mandy has enjoyed roles with a Primary Health Network supporting system reform change and advocating for community care needs in the primary care sector.
Further Information
Fees
Our course fees are inclusive of GST. Course fees include a hard copy course manual and a certificate of completion upon completing the workshop. Participants are also encouraged to undertake an optional online theory assessment following the course to receive Accredited Mental Health First Aider status with Mental Health First Aid Australia for a period of three years.
Online MHFA Community Course
Standard Enrolment: $275
Concession*: $247.50
External Students or Cairnmillar Alumni: $220
Cairnmillar Student: $200
*Our programs attract a 10% concession for health care card holders, pensioners and people receiving benefits. Those applying for concessions must provide a copy (photo evidence is accepted) of their social security card, or health care card together with their application, via email to pd@cairnmillar.edu.au.
FAQ
Cairnmillar can offer this or other tailored courses for your organisation’s needs. If you have a group of 10 or more participants, we can come to you. For further information, email the Professional Development Team at pd@cairnmillar.edu.au or phone 03 9813 3400.
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