A landmark initiative aimed at equipping Australia’s future health workforce with the skills to recognise, understand and respond to mental distress was launched this week, backed by $6.7 million in funding from the Australian Government.
Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride announced the initiative, which is set to provide essential Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to more than 115,000 health professional students over the next four years.
‘The Mental Health First Aid training program helps those who help us – equipping health students with the skills and confidence to identify and respond to the mental health needs of their patients and peers,’ she said.
‘It is vital that we give the same support to the people who look after us. They are central to the health and wellbeing of so many Australians.’
The Hon Emma McBride MP launches the new MHFA for Health Professional Students program.
Assistant Minister McBride shared that a few years ago the extraordinary advocacy efforts of the Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) paved the way for MHFA training to be accessible to medical students in Australian universities.
The launch of the new online MHFA program adapted specifically for health professional students expands the program to include nursing, midwifery and allied health students.
‘Broadening the program across all health students will make a huge difference for them and their patients,’ Assistant Minister McBride added.
Developed by Mental Health First Aid International (MHFAI) in collaboration with Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand (Medical Deans), the Australasian Council of Deans of Health Sciences, and the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, the new program aims to:
- boost students’ mental health literacy
- increase skills for self-care and peer-to-peer support
- prepare students to sustain a healthy career in healthcare.
MHFAI CEO Angus Clelland said the organisation is thrilled to work alongside the national councils to empower the next generation of health professionals with the crucial skills to support their peers or other adults.
Mental Health First Aid International CEO Angus Clelland speaks about the early impact of the program.
‘Equipping students with these skills will not only ensure they can understand their own mental health and provide timely support to their peers during their studies, but it will also create a foundation for a healthier, more resilient workforce,’ Mr Clelland said.
President of Medical Deans Professor Michelle Leech AM welcomed the funding and stressed the importance of students having this learning opportunity.
‘Health professional students themselves can be at heightened risk of mental health issues, facing stresses during their studies and learning in high pressure clinical settings. Being able to recognise the signs that either they or a friend or colleague might be struggling and in need of help and support, and knowing how to access that, is vital and can make all the difference.’
Helen Craig, CEO of Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand, speaks to health professional students at the launch event.
More than 10,000 students have enrolled in the program since early enrolments opened in May 2024, with more than 3,000 already completing the training. Almost 80% say they have improved confidence to start a mental health first aid conversation with a fellow student who is showing signs of mental distress.
At the launch event, UNSW undergraduate medical student Ally expressed the value of being trained in MHFA.
‘I was recently talking to a geriatric patient who was showing signs of psychological distress. Thanks to my MHFA training, I felt confident having a mental health first aid conversation him. I was able to connect him to the medical team who went on to diagnose him with and treat him for depression.’
Ally, a UNSW undergraduate medical student, shares a story of how her training helped her hold a mental health first aid conversation with a geriatric patient showing signs of mental distress and connect him to the medical team.
Ally said the MHFA training is also invaluable for students to understand and look after their own mental health. ‘It’s a bit like an oxygen mask on a plane – and knowing how to put your own mask on first before being able to help others.’
The program launch comes after the recent Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Youth Mental Health that revealed up to 75% of all onsets of mental illness occur by the age of 25. The report showed that the prevalence and impact of mental illness is steadily increasing amongst young people.
Mr Clelland said the landmark health professional student program opens the door to further collaborations between MHFAI and peak tertiary bodies and councils to enhance the accessibility of mental health education.
‘With the growing rates of mental illness amongst young people, we need to see MHFA available to students in all areas of study, particularly those in professions prone to higher rates of mental ill-health, ensuring they can enter their careers mentally healthy and well-prepared and equipped to make a difference.
‘Preparing future workforces with essential mental health literacy and peer support skills will be transformative for both their own mental wellbeing and that of their colleagues and communities.
‘We are currently working with the Australian Council of Deans of Education to explore the possibility of MHFA training for all pre-service teachers and look forward to speaking with the Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP, in the coming months to help achieve this.’
For further information, visit www.mhfa.com.au/health-professional-students.
