Mental Health First Aid (course)

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses teach people simple, practical first aid skills for helping a family member, friend, or co-worker who is experiencing mental health problems.

From 1 January 2021, the MHFA Blended Online Community eLearning component will increase from $55 to $150. Purchase the Blended Online Community eLearning course from MHFA Australia before 31 December to avoid the price increase.

What you will learn

MHFA courses will teach participants how to listen and respond to someone with a mental health problem, even if they are experiencing a crisis.

Participants will learn how to help someone access the support they might need to successfully manage symptoms. This may include:

  • self-help books or websites
  • accessing support through their GP, their school, faculty or place of work
  • online self-referral
  • or support groups.

MFHA courses actively reduce stigma in your community, by providing participants resources to respond appropriately to myths and misunderstandings about mental illness.

Mental Health First Aid courses are offered at Charles Sturt University as blended online learning modules with MHFA Australia. This includes an eLearning component and interactive Zoom workshops.

Course details and fees

  • The eLearning component is offered by MHFA Australia. You must register for this eLearning component prior to registering for a Charles Sturt workshop. This eLearning package provides participants an overview of mental health problems and mental health crises. The course fee for this is $55. When you register online, you will be given access to the MHFA Online Manual. You can also choose to purchase a hardcopy of the MHFA Online Manual for an additional $17. Payment methods are available in the checkout after registering for the course.
  • Once you have completed the eLearning component with MHFA, you need to register for 2 x 2.5 hour interactive workshops hosted by Charles Sturt MHFA accredited facilitators. Due to COVID-19, these workshops will be hosted via Zoom and will cost $20. In these workshops, participants will revise the content from the eLearning package and apply their knowledge to case studies.

How to register

  1. Register and pay for the eLearning component of the Blended Online Mental Health First Aid Community with MHFA Australia.
  2. Check the events calendar and register for an upcoming Charles Sturt Workshop.

Please email mhfa@csu.edu.au for all enquires, course options and registration planning.

Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

The first aid is given until appropriate professional treatment is received or until the crisis resolves.

Benefits

  • Mental health problems are common.
  • Many people are not well informed on how to recognise mental health problems.
  • Many people with mental health problems do not seek help or delay seeking help.
  • There is a stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems.
  • People with mental health problems may be unaware that they need help.
  • Professional help is not always available.
  • Mental Health First Aid has been proven to work.

Course options

Mental Health First Aid is available as a blended course with an eLearning component through MHFA Australia, followed by a four-hour face-to-face session and online quiz.

The eLearning component gives you an overview of mental health problems and mental health crises. The face-to-face component will revise and apply the knowledge and skills from the eLearning, giving you the chance to examine issues relating to students in more depth, clarify any questions from the online modules and apply the MHFA Action Plan to scenarios.

You can also choose to complete the course as a two-day face-to-face workshop.

Health and social welfare students

First-year students in a range of health and social welfare courses can complete the online component of the blended course free. To see whether your course is eligible, visit the MHFA website.

  1. Enrol in the eLearning component free through MHFA
  2. Once you have completed the eLearning, register your interest for a four-hour face-to-face component using the button below. This component costs $35 and should be paid at the cashier or through the Charles Sturt secure online payment site before the session. If you are not near a Charles Sturt University campus, you can find a facilitator in your local area through the MHFA Australia website
  3. Complete the online quiz to gain accreditation, valid for three years.

Students in other years of these courses can request a voucher from Charles Sturt University to complete the online component free, using the Expression of Interest link at the bottom of the page.

Students in other courses and staff

We have vouchers available for students from other courses to complete the online component of the blended course at no cost. To claim a voucher, register your interest via the link below.

  1. Use your voucher code to enrol in the eLearning component through MHFA
  2. Once you have completed the eLearning, contact a facilitator on your campus to confirm available dates and register your interest for the four-hour face-to-face component. This component costs $35 and should be paid at the cashier or through the Charles Sturt secure online payment site before the session. Staff should pay using an internal Journal Funds Transfer emailed to the Division of Student Services. If you are not near a Charles Sturt University campus, you can find a facilitator in your local area through the MHFA Australia website
  3. Complete the online quiz to gain accreditation, valid for three years.

Two-day face-to-face workshop

You can also complete the training as a two-day face-to-face workshop. This option does not run all the time, so contact a facilitator on your campus to confirm available dates and register your interest for a two-day workshop. You may also be able to find a facilitator for the course in your local community via the MHFA website.

Completing the workshop through Charles Sturt University costs $60 and should be paid at the cashier or through the Charles Sturt secure online payment site before the session. Staff should pay using an internal Journal Funds Transfer emailed to the Division of Student Services.

Upcoming course dates

Check the events calendars for upcoming workshop dates at your campus. You will need to contact your campus facilitator to confirm places are still available.

You may also be able to find a facilitator for the face-to-face component in your local community.

More information

For more information, visit Mental Health First Aid Australia

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