Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to provide initial support to a person experiencing a mental health challenge or mental health crisis using a practical evidence-based action plan - until the crisis resolves or professional help is accessed.
International evidence consistently shows that Mental Health First Aid training:
improves understanding of mental health challenges
increases confidence to offer initial assistance
increases the likelihood of early help-seeking and
reduces stigma and discrimination.
Mental health first aiders are utilised throughout workplaces and communities as safe people to talk to when times are tough. They can also be a powerful resource in creating more supportive organisational cultures.
Businesses and other organisations are increasingly faced with clients and customers in distress without the skills or confidence to respond appropriately, so upskilling in mental health first aid is also a necessity in any client- or customer-facing environment.
Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa
This internationally acclaimed and evidence-based suite of courses has been adapted for Aotearoa New Zealand, reflecting our context and using relevant research and clinical treatment pathways.
It includes expert input from mental health professionals based in Aotearoa New Zealand, cultural advisors and kiwis with lived experience of mental health challenges. Importantly the course includes guidance around applying mental health first aid in our Māori, Pasifika and LGBTTQIA++ communities, as well as practical resources and links to available support services.
What can I expect from the course?
In the course we demystify some common mental health challenges, especially depression, anxiety, psychosis and problematic substance use.
We also use a practical action plan to apply first aid skills, including when people are experiencing a range of mental health crises:
suicidal thoughts and behaviours
non-suicidal self-injury
panic attacks
traumatic events
severe psychosis
severe effects from alcohol or other substance use; and
aggressive behaviours
After training participants will feel more confident to identify when someone may be experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis, start a conversation, provide initial assistance and link that person with the right help.
On completion of the course each participant will receive a Certificate of Accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider valid for three years, and a comprehensive Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa resource manual. What’s more, you’ll understand how to actively reduce stigma in your workplace or community, by responding appropriately to myths and misunderstandings around mental illness.
Important note
Mental Health First Aid is a mental health literacy course for adults over 18 years. It does not teach people to diagnose or treat mental illness - this can only be done by a trained mental health professional. It is also not therapy or a support group.
Courses available
We offer several course options.
Option 1: Standard MHFA Aotearoa (in-person)
The Standard MHFA Aotearoa course comprises 12 hours of content delivered in-person across two full days (either consecutively or apart). It can also be structured more flexibly to suit your organisation, for example as four 3-hour sessions.
Course numbers are limited to 8 – 20 participants.
Option 2: Workplace MHFA Aotearoa (blended in-person or online)
The Workplace MHFA Aotearoa course uses similar content to the Standard MHFA Aotearoa course but is more tailored to a workplace setting where people can learn how best to support their colleagues or teams.
This blended format course comprises 5 -7 hours of self-paced e-learning modules, followed by either a 6-hour in-person session, or two 3-hour online sessions, led by an instructor.
Course numbers are limited to 12 participants.
Option 3: Refresher MHFA Aotearoa course (online or in-person)
Is it coming up to three years since you or your team completed a Standard (4th edition) or Workplace MHFA Aotearoa course and became mental health first-aiders?
To extend MHFA Aotearoa accreditation for a further three years, accredited first-aiders should complete the Refresher MHFA Aotearoa course before their current accreditation's expiration date. This is a great way of refreshing knowledge and skills as well as retaining accreditation.
The Refresher MHFA course can be delivered either in person in one day or online over two 3.5 hour sessions.
Participants need to present their original accreditation certificate as evidence of completion, before attending the course.
Follow-up coaching and advice
Most learning actually starts after the course ends, when we apply our mental health first aid knowledge and skills in real-life situations. That’s why we offer follow-up facilitated group coaching sessions to help embed the learning and refine those skills.
These optional sessions encourage accredited mental health first aiders to reflect on how they have applied Mental Health First Aid in their conversations with others: what’s worked well and what additional support they need. Participants bring real scenarios to share, gaining insight from each other as well as ongoing first-aider peer support.
Coaching sessions take place in person or online and run for around 90 minutes. One session minimum is recommended.
We can also advise on ways to implement an effective network of mental health first aiders throughout your business or organisation, so you can create a culture of openness towards having mental health conversations with and within your teams.
Find out more
Download the Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa flyer here to share with your colleagues and communities