1. Name Date Thank your host for asking you to attend.
“Thank you for the opportunity….”

2. What is MHFA?
The help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
First aid is given until treatment is received or crisis is resolved
Based on the model of medical first aid
Go over the definition of Mental Health First Aid.

3. Medical First Aid
First Aid is the help given to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained. The aims of any first aid are to:
Preserve life
Prevent deterioration of injury or illness
Promote healing
Provide comfort to the ill or injured
Explain the similarities between the aims of physical first aid and mental health first aid.

4. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
The aims of MHFA are to:
Preserve life where a person may be a danger to self or others
Provide help to prevent a mental health problem from becoming more serious
Promote recovery of good mental health
Provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem
This course does not train people to be a therapist, counsellor or mental health professional, just as medical first aid training does not make you a doctor. However, they can learn skills to help provide the initial support for someone who may be developing a mental health problem or is experiencing a mental health crisis.

5. Why Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health problems are common
There is stigma/discrimination associated with mental health problems
Many people are not well informed about mental health problems
Professional help is not always on hand
People often do not know how to respond
Discuss some of the reasons for Mental health First Aid including:
High prevalence:
1 in 3 Canadians will have a mental health problem in their lifetime
1 in 5 Canadians will have a mental health problem in the course of a year.
Common:
1 in 3 people in Alberta have seen a doctor for mental health problems as a primary diagnosis, in the past 3 years.
Does not include secondary
Does not include the more than half of people who don’t seek help
Stigma/discrimination:
Option – Ask group to list/describe different examples of stigma/discrimination

6. Origins of MHFA
Developed in Australia at Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University
Has spread to Scotland, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Finland and Canada
Part of national mental health strategies in Australia and Scotland
The MHFA training course was developed and introduced by professors Anthony Jorm and Betty Kitchner from the Center of Mental Health Research at the Australian National University in Since 2005 the program has been sponsored by the ORYGEN Research Centre at the University of Melbourne.
AMHB brought program to Canada in March 2006.
Adapted materials for Canada
- Extensive review – still doing revisions and will review again.
Delivering across Canada
- All regions in Alberta (although not just RHAs)
- Winnipeg
- Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick

7. About MHFA Canada 12-hour course Flexible delivery format Interactive
Practical
For anyone – general public, teachers, health service providers, emergency workers, employers, etc.
Flexible:
12 hours can be over two days or 4 sessions (3 hours each) depending upon the need of the participants
Participants are required to attend the entire 12 hours before receiving a certificate

8. Topics What is meant by mental health and mental illness
Signs and symptoms of common mental health problems and crisis situations
Basic 5-step model to provide first aid
Info about interventions and treatments
How to guide someone toward professional help
What MHFA covers
Point 4: not to treat but to be aware
Point 5: sometimes there are self-help strategies but not equally effective for all mental health problems

9. Assess risk of suicide or harm Listen non-judgmentally
The Five Basic Steps
Assess risk of suicide or harm
Listen non-judgmentally
Give reassurance and information
Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help
Encourage self-help strategies
Ask participants if they have taken regular first aid. Explain that in the same way that as medical first aid uses ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) mental health first aid uses ALGEE.

10. Mental Health Problems
Mood Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Psychosis
Substance Use Disorders
Mental health problems are used to describe all aspects of mental health difficulties. The areas covered are:

11. Crisis Situations Suicidal behaviour Panic attacks
Reactions to traumatic events
Acute psychosis
Overdoses
As part of Assessing for risk of suicide or harm, participants will gain skills to deal with the following crisis situations.

12. For each disorder Signs and symptoms Variations of the disorder
Risk factors
First aid, including crisis first aid
Effective treatments

13. MHFA Canada Instructors
Instructors trained over 5 days
Certified to train the 12-hour course
Background in mental health
Teach 3 courses a year to maintain certification
Who are MHFA Canada Instructors?
Need to have background – are screened. Need to have knowledge/experience in mental health and with facilitating groups. Application packages and training dates are on our website.
Instructors are independent and determine their fee structure. Some provide the training as part of their employment, while others provide the training as part of the business.
Instructors remain current by accessing up to date information from MHFA Canada, teaching a minimum of three courses per year, and attending a refresher in a three year period.
Ongoing support from the Master Facilitators.
Access to secure web area – updated resources, stats.

14. MHFA Canada Infrastructure
Master Facilitators
Canadian course materials
Evaluation
Develop new modules/adapt for specific groups – youth, aboriginal, seniors
Master Facilitators:
Two master facilitators – hoping to recruit two more
Materials:
Canadian materials going through revision
Evaluation:
MHFA Canada is designing numerous research projects surrounding the training.
Developing an evaluation framework. Same measure used by health regions – appropriate, accessible, etc.
Public health agency helping to evaluate and adapt for Aboriginal and immigrant groups.
Australia has evaluated course – public, in workplace, and in rural areas:
- More confident in providing help
- More likely to advise people to seek help
- More aligned with health professional belief in treatments
- Improved own mental health
- Less social distance – translation reduced stigma and discrimination
New Modules:
Future goals include new modules and/or adaptations for specific goals. With Health Canada research projects have been initiated for aboriginal and immigrant groups.
MHFA Canada will be offering a youth version in late fall 2007.

15. MHFA Canada in Schools
Funding from provincial government to train at least one person in every school
Materials currently being adapted for youth, plus development of 2 extra modules – eating disorders, self-harm
Answer any remaining questions.
Again, thank your host.