The Mental Health Commission of Canada reports that one in every five Canadians experiences a mental health problem within a given year. While we often know a lot about physical illness, there tends to be less knowledge about mental health or substance use problems. This lack of understanding leads to fear and negative attitudes towards individuals living with these problems. It prevents people from seeking help for themselves and from providing appropriate support to people around them.

Course Objectives

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis. Course participants will learn how to:

  1) Recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis

  2) Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis

  3) Use MHFA actions to maintain one’s own mental well-being

  4) Have conversations that encourage a person to:

• Talk about declines in their mental well-being

• Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being

• Reach out to these support

Method of Instruction
This 8-hour course opens with a self-directed module (Module 1) that focuses on the information and strategies that participants will discuss and practice throughout the virtual classroom modules (Modules 2 and 3). Course participants are required to complete Module 1 before participating in Module 2 and 3.

Upon registration, participants will receive the “MHFA Participant Reference Guide” that outlines MHFA actions for developing mental health and substance use problems, and mental health and substance use crises.

Topics
Module 1: Self-Directed
• Introduction to the course
• Introduction to MHFA actions

Module 2: Virtual Classroom
• Practice applying MHFA actions to situations of declining mental well-being
• Guidelines for MHFA conversations with people from diverse cultures and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community

Module 3 Virtual Classroom
• Discussion on using MHFA actions for self-care
• Practice using MHFA actions in crisis situations