An introduction to Mental Health First Aid courses
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses teach participants how to assist people who are developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves.
All courses are delivered by an Accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor. You can find a course near you on our Courses Calendar, or you can contact an accredited Instructor directly to arrange a course for your organisation or group.
There are five core Mental Health First Aid courses available that have been developed to teach participants how to assist people within specific population groups. After completing a core Mental Health First Aid course, participants are eligible to complete an online assessment to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider. Accreditation lasts for a period of 3 years.
There are also a range of specialised Mental Health First Aid courses available to teach participants how to help someone experiencing a specific crisis or situation.
Available Core Courses
Refresher courses
Mental Health First Aid Refresher courses are 4-hour face-to-face courses that allow people who have previously completed a 12- or 14-hour Mental Health First Aid course to refresh their knowledge and skills. For people who are Accredited MHFAiders, the refresher courses offer an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.
Specialised Courses
Flexible Delivery Options
Mental Health First Aid Australia offers a flexible blended course delivery option for our Standard, Youth and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander core courses.
Blended Mental Health First Aid Courses include two components: a self-paced eLearning component followed by an Instructor-led workshop component that is delivered face-to-face or online using video conferencing technology which offers eLearning course content review and practical skill application.
Blended course options are ideal for many workplaces and specialised settings where 2-day face-to-face training courses are more challenging for course participant attendance.
- The Standard Mental Health First Aid Course (for adults assisting other adults) is available in a range of blended offerings for different populations. In each course participants complete 6-8 hours of self-paced eLearning followed by an Instructor-led component.
- The Blended Youth course is alternate delivery pathway for our 14-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid Course (for adults assisting young people). Comprised of self-paced eLearning (3-4 hours) and followed by an Instructor-led component.
- The Blended AMHFA Community course, (for adults assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults) comprising a 5-7 hour self-paced eLearning followed by an Instructor-led component which can be delivered either via a face-to-face or online workshop.
- The Blended Youth AMHFA Course (for adults assisting Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander young people) comprising a self-paced eLearning (5-7 hours) followed by an Instructor-led component which can be delivered either via a face-to-face or online workshop.
Comments and feedback from previous participants
It taught people how to cope with not only their problems but help others with theirs. It could benefit people greatly now and in the future.
Ellen
Extremely glad I did the course, my knowledge has definitely grown in mental health in general but also how to be a first aid officer in mental health. Very helpful when working in the field but also in everyday life.
Olek
Very informative and helpful. Valuable skills and knowledge gained that can be applied in the workplace and life more broadly.
Thanh