Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa New Zealand

About 1 in 5 New Zealand adults experience mental health challenges in any year.

This means that at some stage, everyone will have close contact with someone experiencing a mental health challenge, whether it is a whānau member, a co-worker, or a friend.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches participants how to provide initial support to people who may be experiencing mental health challenges or mental health crisis until the crisis resolves, or specialist help is accessed, using a practical evidence-based action plan.

brochure

Why does this course work?

Mental Health First Aid courses are internationally acclaimed and evidence-based. All our courses are based on guidelines developed through the expert contributions of New Zealand-based mental health professionals, cultural advisors, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges. Each programme is adapted for Aotearoa ensuring they reflect our cultural context and use relevant data research and clinical treatment pathways.

Evaluations consistently show that Mental Health First Aid training improves understanding of the mental health challenges people experience, their options for treatments and helpful first aid strategies. Participants report increased confidence in their ability to offer Mental Health First Aid which enables early access to help. The training also decreases stigma and discrimination that many people with mental health and addiction challenges experience.

In New Zealand Te Pou www.mentalhealthfirstaid.nz is the current host and licence provider of Mental Health First Aid.

Te pou website

What can I learn during this course?

A Mental Health First Aid course will teach you how to provide initial support to adults who may be experiencing mental health challenges or mental health crisis, until the crisis resolves, or specialist help is accessed, using a practical evidence-based Action Plan.

Mental Health crises covered:

Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
Non-suicidal self-injury
Panic attacks
Traumatic events
Severe psychotic states
Severe effects from alcohol or other substance use
Aggressive behaviours

Mental Health challenges covered:

Depression
Anxiety
Psychosis
Substance use problems

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 triage 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.