Mental Health First Aid | Mpowerminds

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
(YOUTH & TEENS)

Individuals can empower and equip themselves with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to support a friend, family member, or co-worker experiencing a mental health problem or feeling suicidal by taking Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA™) courses. These are a suite of internationally acclaimed and evidence-based, accredited training programs. The broader mental health sector offers Mental Health First Aid a unique and focused role, targeting and providing proven services that complement other efforts.

MENTAL HEALTH - ALL ABOUT IT

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health care is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.”

According to WHO, by the year 2020, depression will constitute the second-largest disease burden worldwide (Murray & Lopez, 1996). More than 450 million people suffer from mental disorders, and this will cause the global burden of mental health to be well beyond the treatment capacities of developed and developing countries. The focus is on the possibilities for promoting mental health as well as preventing and treating mental illness in order to address the social and economic costs associated with the growing burden of mental ill health. Thus, Mental Health is linked to behaviour and is seen as fundamental to physical health and quality of life.

2074

lives touched

690

MHFAiders accredited

125

Trainings

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?

“MHFA is – the initial help given to a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis (such as depression, anxiety, or substance use). The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis resolves.”

“Please note that:
  • MHFA is not therapy or counselling.
  • MHFA does not qualify people to make mental health diagnoses.”

This course will not make you a crusader and champion of mental health, able to help everyone around you. Instead, it is designed to help you question what you know about mental health, and change the way you think about, understand, and empathise with anyone dealing with it.

You will be able to better support the people in your immediate life, whether as a parent, a friend or as a professional colleague, with its help

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING

Mental Health First Aid International conceptualised and created MHFA in Australia and currently runs it in 22 countries across the globe, including England, the USA, Canada, and Singapore.

In 1997, Betty Kitchener AM and her husband Professor Tony Jorm identified the need for improved mental health literacy. Then, in 2000, they delivered the first Mental Health First Aid course to fill a community gap for practical mental health.

Mental Health First Aid™'s has expanded its reach within communities of all different types, sizes, and locations from local to national, and from national to international over the past two decades. They have now trained over 4 million people worldwide, becoming part of a global network of MHFAiders.

YOUTH & TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING WITH MPOWERMINDS

Mpower is a provider of the Youth and Teen MHFA program in India. The courses mentioned here have been customized for India and the Indian population. Mpower’s team received the Australia course and we spent a year making it relevant for an Indian context. We shall be focusing on Indian statistics and try to talk about issues faced in our country.

Mpowerminds and MHFA Australia offer a range of comprehensive skills-based early-intervention courses. All our courses are designed depending on guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and mental health professionals.

Participants learn the signs and symptoms of mental health literacy and the practical skills needed to support someone experiencing a mental health problem (such as depression, anxiety, or substance use), experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis from our courses.

OUR MODULES

The Mental Health First Aid training course teaches participants about the types of help and supports available and how to help someone access the support they need

Currently, we offer 3 types of MHFA training courses:

  1. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)

    Participants learn in the Youth Mental Health First Aid course about adolescent development and the signs and symptoms of common and disabling mental health problems in young people, including crisis situations.

    • Face to Face: Live offline location-based learning session with case studies and activities led by an Accredited MHFA Instructor. (14 hours)
    • Online: Virtual platform video conferencing sessions led by an Accredited MHFA Instructor. (14 hours)
    • Blended: Online Self-paced eLearning component (typically 5-7 hours) followed by a 4-hour face-to-face session Or 2 x 2.5-hour online sessions led by an Accredited MHFA Instructor.

    This course will cover depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. You will learn how to get help for a young person who is developing a mental illness, what help research has proven to be effective, and how to provide first aid during crisis situations.

    "Upcoming Training Batches in 2023 and 2024 (Duration 14 hours 2 weekends)"
  2. Teen Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA)

    The course teaches teenagers about the different types of mental health problems and mental health crisis situations in young people, and how to recognise changes in a friend's thinking, feelings, or behaviour that may indicate the presence of a mental health problem.

    We cover topics such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bullying and abuse, intoxication, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Teen MHFA aims to improve the mental health literacy of a whole cohort to reduce the stigmatizing behaviours and attitudes that often prevail.

    Duration- 6 hours

  3. Instructors Course

    Mpower and MHFA Australia® intensively train suitable people to become Accredited MHFA Instructors of the Youth, Teen, and Blended MHFA Courses. Accredited MHFA Instructors possess the necessary skills to facilitate, and they have a passion for improving the mental health of their communities. Mpower accredits and trains these instructors.

    We will cover topics such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. You will learn how to train other adults and youth to become MHFAiders in order to help a young person who is developing a mental illness, as well as, how to provide first aid in crisis situations.

    Duration: 14 hours (2 days) of training and additional 3 days of assignment and presentation

WHO CAN AVAIL

You can complete a course as an individual or explore how Mental Health First Aid training can make a difference in your workplace, school, or local community setting – we have a course to suit your needs.

  1. Youth MHFA (Onsite/Online & Blended Learning), Developed for adults, to learn how to assist and support young people.
  2. Teen MHFA- Developed for teens in Grades 9-12, to learn how to assist and support a friend or classmate.
  3. Instructors Course – Developed for individuals keen on becoming an Instructor to further train first aiders for mental health

HOW CAN YOU USE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?

Over the course of MHFA training programs you will learn about our action plans-

  • Action 1: Approach the person, assess and assist them in any crisis (Preparing to approach a young person you were already concerned about When talking to someone, realizing that there is cause for concern, and you need to approach the issue of mental health with them. If you have a chance to plan in advance, choosing the place and moment is important, as is planning what you want to say.)

  • Action 2: Listen and communicate non-judgmentally (It means setting judgments aside and ensuring the person doesn’t feel judged. Communicating with young people can be a challenge for some. Effective communication doesn’t require you to act like an adolescent yourself, or be ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ – it’s about being genuine.)

  • Action 3: Give support and information (This action is about giving support and information to the young person and their parents, particularly if they are not well-informed about mental illness. Key Point: This action is about giving support, not giving advice. Make sure to emphasise to participants that they should not attempt to support in solving mental health problems, or give solutions or suggestions for MH issues.)

  • Action 4: Encourage them to get appropriate professional help (Who are the professionals in this field – Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counsellors as well as information about Mental Health Centres and Hospitals)

  • Action 5: Encourage other supports (Friends and family should learn what they can about the problem in order to offer effective support and understanding. They can also provide practical assistance to avoid impacts in other areas of life.)

WHO SHOULD SEEK FIRST AID?

Seek help from a mental health professional proactively if you have faced any traumatic events or are feeling emotionally let down for a long time. You could also speak to a close family member, friend, or your family doctor as a first step if that makes you comfortable. An MHFA First Aider can help you understand more about mental health and get you the help you need as early as possible. The First Aider can also help dispel the myths and misinformation we have surrounding Mental Illness.

For those who have never sought professional help to manage mental health, taking the first step can be tough. An MHFA Aider can help you through this journey. So, do not think that you are alone in this fight. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed startling figures when they released data on suicidal deaths in India in August 2022. A total of 1,64,033 suicides were reported in the country in 2021, which is a 7.2% increase from the previous year in terms of total numbers. Some estimates suggest that up to one in six people will experience serious suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives, but many people do not expect that they will run out of reasons to live. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you need to know that you are not alone.

You may need to be persistent before you find someone to talk to, who can make a big difference. Talking about suicide or suicidal thoughts may prevent someone to kill themselves. However, you may not be able to solve these problems for a friend or classmate. As an MHFA First Aider, you can provide the help and support they need.

CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For more information on mental health problems please reach out to us at https://mpowerminds.com/seekhelp

Being an MHFA Aider means you can help anyone who seeks mental health support and assistance, regardless of age group or population.

The main differences between Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Psychological First Aid (PFA) are as follows:.

  • We have defined Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) as "the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis", giving it a broader focus. MHFAiders give first aid until the people receive appropriate professional help or until the crisis resolves, which includes developing mental disorders and associated crises. Usually, the focus is solely on response to a disaster.
  • MHFA gives some training in how to respond to a person who has experienced a traumatic event, but this training is much less detailed than PFA.
  • People with some specialist mental health expertise are often trained in PFA. The MHFAider’s role stops once appropriate professional help is reached as it is a course designed for non-mental health professionals

MHFA is – the initial help given to a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis resolves.

Please note that:

  • MHFA is not therapy or counselling.
  • MHFA does not qualify people to make mental health diagnoses.

This course will not make you a crusader and champion of mental health, able to help everyone around you. Instead, it is designed to help you question what you know about mental health, and change the way you think about, understand, and empathise with anyone dealing with it.

You will be able to better support the people in your immediate life, whether as a parent, a friend, or as a professional colleague, with its help.

When a participant passes the assessment set against these guidelines, they are “Accredited” as an MHFAider. A participant is then eligible to be appointed as a Mental Health First Aid Officer in their respective workplace. They will also receive a reminder in 3 years’ time notifying them that they are due to complete an MHFA Refresher Course.