Community
Mental Health Education Victoria offers Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and bespoke mental health education to create thriving communities. Our mission is to raise the mental health literacy of communities through education empowering them to thrive.
Our mental health courses can be contextualised to suit your community group, school, Tertiary institution or workplace, giving participants the strategies and confidence to assist. The content is practical, and evidence based.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is designed to teach you how to give initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health problem or worsening mental illness. The course also covers what to do if someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
Why Mental Health First Aid?
By participating in the MHFA course, you will learn how to assist someone experiencing a common mental illness. You will also learn how to help someone who might be experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or a mental health crisis until appropriate professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.
Standard Mental Health First Aid Course
The Standard and Community Mental Health First Aid course upskills adults to assist other adults who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves, using a practical, evidence-based action plan.
Course participants learn about the signs and symptoms of the common and disabling mental health problems, 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.
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Delivery Modes
This 12 hours course can be delivered in 1 of 3 ways:
1. Online delivery:
Component 1 – A self-paced eLearning component
Component 2 – 2 x 2.5-hour virtual sessions
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2. Blended face-to-face:
Component 1 - A self-paced eLearning component
Component 2 - 4 hour face to face delivery
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3. Face-To-Face Delivery:
Training over a total of 2 days (12 hours)
Accreditation
At the completion of the course, all participants will have the opportunity to attain a three-year accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider with MHFA Australia
Mental Health First Aid: Engaging Leaders Training
Positive mental health conversations and actions by leaders in the workplace are vital to the wellbeing of staff and the company as a whole. Our Engaging Leaders workshop helps Managers, leaders and decision-makers understand the benefits that MHFA can offer in helping to create mentally healthy workplaces.
Our 90-minute session contains information about how leaders can support their employees who may be experiencing a mental health problem and provides them with the tools, knowledge, and understanding of what is needed in a mentally healthy workplace. It will provide a space to discuss the challenges and opportunities of managing mental health problems.
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What will you learn?
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ï‚·An understanding of mental health problems in the workplace
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ï‚·How to support employees who may be experiencing a mental health problem
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ï‚·How to recognise the signs in an employee who may be developing a mental health problem
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ï‚·How Mental Health First Aid can help in the workplace.
Please note: This course does not lead to a Mental Health First Aid accreditation.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Course
What the course covers
Our accredited Youth Mental Health First Aid courses have been described as engaging, interactive and fun, and provides all staff who work/live with young people with the necessary skills and tools to effectively support their mental health and wellbeing. The course teaches adults how to assist adolescents who are developing a mental illness, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or are in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.
This framework provides participants with an assurance that early intervention in any mental illness is key in creating a safe and healthy school environment. Each course participant receives a copy of the YMHFA Manual and a Certificate of Accreditation through MHFA Australia.
Modes of Delivery
In-Person
The in-person YMHFA course can be delivered at your school and is 14-hours in length. These hours can be broken up into portions that work for your school e.g. 2×8-hour sessions, 4×3.5-hour sessions. We will work with you to ensure that the course can be delivered at a time and day that suits you.
Blended Delivery Format
Blended Mental Health First Aid Courses are an alternate delivery pathway and
include two components:
1. Course Component 1
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A self-paced, eLearning component taking approx. 3-4hours in length and must be completed prior to attending Course Component 2.
2. Course Component 2
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An instructor-led component using face-to-face or video conferencing (3×2.5-hour Zoom sessions or in-person sessions that can be delivered in one full day, 2 x 4-hour sessions, or 4×2-hour sessions at your school).
Our training courses are informative, engaging, and inspiring. Our participants leave with a newfound confidence in their ability to support their students and colleagues, and with an eagerness to implement their knowledge and skills to ensure a long-lasting impact for their school community.
Mental health crisis situations covered are:
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Depression
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Anxiety problems
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Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
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non-suicidal self-injury (sometimes called deliberate self-harm)
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Panic attacks
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Traumatic events
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Severe effects of drug or alcohol use
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Severe psychotic states
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Aggressive behaviours
Developing mental health problems covered are:
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Depression
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Anxiety problems
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Psychosis
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Substance use problems
Refresher courses can be delivered face-to-face or online via video conferencing and run over a 4-hour period. These sessions are available for people who have previously completed Mental Health First Aid training, to refresh their knowledge, skills, and confidence in supporting those around them. For people who are Accredited MHFAiders, the refresher courses offer an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.
Refresher - Standard Mental Health First Aid:
This course gives participants an opportunity to refresh the knowledge and skills learned during the Standard, Community or Workplace Mental Health First Aid training.
You will:
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ï‚·Gain an understanding of the latest research in the mental health field
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ï‚·Learn the 3 key actions for helping someone feeling suicidal
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ï‚·Work through complex mental health first aid interactions
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ï‚·Practice mental health first aid skills.
Refresher - Youth Refresher Course
Mental Health First Aid:
This course gives participants an opportunity to refresh the knowledge and skills learned
during the Youth Mental Health First Aid Course.
You will:
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ï‚·Gain an understanding of the latest research in the mental health field
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Learn the 3 key actions for helping someone feeling suicidalï‚·
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Work through complex mental health first aid interactionsï‚·
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ï‚·Practice mental health first aid skills.
