Mental Health First Aid?
Mental Health First Aid is not as well know physical first aid. Many people are aware what people learn on a First Aid or Emergency First Aid course, but often are less familiar with the contents of a Mental Health First Aid course, and how mental health first aid can help and even save lives.
Below is an overview.
The aims of any first aid are to:
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- Preserve Life – where a person may be at risk of harm to themselves or others
- Prevent further harm – provide help to prevent the mental health issue from becoming worse.
- Promote recovery – of good mental health
- Provide comfort to the person – With a mental health issue.
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As with any first aid it is only given until appropriate professional help is received or until the crisis appears to be resolved. Mental Health First Aid is the aid offered to a person in a mental health first aid crisis, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health condition or developing a mental health condition.
Mental Heath First Aid England
Our instructors completed their training with MHFA England this is the organisations background.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an international mental health awareness and skills programme developed in Australia in 2000 and now internationally recognised in over 25 countries. Mental Health First Aiders learn how to spot the signs and symptoms of
a range of mental health issues. They are taught how to provide help on a first aid basis and effectively guide the person towards the right support services. Globally, nearly three million people have been trained in MHFA skills.
MHFA came to England in 2007 and was developed and launched under the Department of Health: National Institute of Mental Health in England (NIMHE) as part of a national approach to improving public mental health as part of a of a national approach to improving public mental health MHFA England