We are grateful for two recent funding announcements for MHFA: the Victorian State Government announced over the weekend that 750 people will be trained in MHFA as part of a relief package for dairy farmers and the Coalition Government today announced that over 3,000 job seekers and 450 school attendance officers will be trained in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander MHFA
The Mental Health First Aid International Manual is now available in the shop. This manual is most relevant to people living in developed countries, which have established mental health care systems equivalent in standard to those in Australia and where the culture could be described as Western. Purchase here
MHFA Australia has been successful in receiving a small grant from the Ian Potter Foundation: www.ianpotter.org.au for the next 12 months to conduct a pilot evaluation of a Junior teen MHFA course for high school students in Years 7-9.
Some more good news from Sergeant Graham Binder and the team who have been delivering MHFA to over 900 WA police and staff.
This Guide has been developed through a partnership between mental health consumers and carers, staff of mental health services and community-managed organisations. It reflects the desire of all stakeholders to deliver services in a manner that recognises the expertise of all partners united in a journey towards recovery.
The intended readership of this Guide is the staff of specialist mental health services and of public, private and community-managed organisations.
At long last it's here! The Blended MHFA Course for Tertiary Students is completed in a blended format, combining eLearning plus a follow-up half day face-to-face session. This course teaches tertiary students how to assist a peer who is developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis, using case-studies, videos and resources tailored to their learning needs.
MHFA Australia in collaboration with researchers from the University of Melbourne, Deakin University and University of Tasmania have developed guidelines on how to provide mental health first aid to a co-worker or an employee.
Here's a great news story via WIN News Canberra on a group of residents in Queanbeyan, ACT who undertook a mental health first aid course. Thhis week, a group of residents in Queanbeyan undertook a mental health first aid course. The concept was created in Canberra and is catching on worldwide, with over twenty countries running the training.
Thank you to everyone at ESTA (000) for their wonderful work delivering care to the Victorian community, and for showcasing how Mental Health First Aid is being used in their workplace. This Nine News video shows how MHFA is helping strengthen individual, and team resilience and the wellbeing of their people. For further information contact MHFA Instructor Stephen Dowling based at ESTA on 03 8656 1313.
The Board and staff of Mental Health First Aid Australia are saddened by the passing of Kevin Ferguson.
Kevin Ferguson was a Director of Mental Health First Aid Australia from 2012 to 2014, when he became too ill to continue. Despite his illness, he supported the transition to a replacement Director. He was very generous with his time and expertise in supporting the Board and finance staff of the organisation. We will remember his many contributions.
We give our condolences to his wife Janet and other members of the family.
