Our Mental Health First Aid courses provide the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to support and assist friends, relatives, students or colleagues facing mental health problems.
Mental Health First Aid Course
What is Mental Health First Aid?
In 2000, the Mental Health First Aid Programme was created in Canberra, Australia, by Betty Kitchener, an educator and mental health consumer, in partnership with Professor Tony Jorm, a mental health researcher. The aim in creating the programme was to extend the concept of first aid training to include mental health problems so that community members were empowered to provide better initial support to someone who is developing a mental health problem, has a worsening of an existing mental health problem or is in a mental health crisis.
In 2015, Richmond Foundation was licensed as the Mental Health First Aid provider for Malta. Mental Health First Aid is an international programme proven to be effective. Currently 25+ countries across the world have recognised and adapted the MHFA Australia programme for their own settings.
Our Courses
Our MHFA courses will equip you with the updated knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to provide the necessary assistance and guidance to support people facing mental health problems. The ultimate aim of Mental Health First Aiders is to help the person seek professional help.
The Standard Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches adults how to assist other adults who are developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The course may also provide some useful information on how to assist persons who have a history of a mental illness.
The Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) course is designed for people who have frequent contact with young people. The course teaches adults how to assist young persons who are developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
The Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) course teaches teens the skills needed to provide the necessary assistance and guidance to support fellow teens facing mental health problems to seek help. This course is only available to schools or any other network upon request. The request gets accepted only after a considerable part of the adults that have frequent contact with the concerned teens – e.g. teachers, scout leaders, sports coaches, youth workers – become Youth Mental Health First Aiders.
Mental Health First Aid training is delivered by the trainers of Richmond Foundation who are official Mental Health First Aid instructors.