Mental Health First Aid Refresher Archives

The Synergy of MHFA Courses and Traditional Mental Health Services

12 October 2023/0 Comments/in Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Course Youth, Mental Health First Aid In Person, Mental Health First Aid Online, Mental Health First Aid Refresher /by Nick McEwan-Hall

At first glance, it may seem that Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Courses and traditional mental health services occupy separate realms in addressing mental health challenges. However, a closer look reveals that these two approaches play complementary roles in promoting mental health awareness, support, and treatment in our communities.

In this insightful article, we explore the unique objectives and benefits of both MHFA courses and traditional mental health services, including psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and social workers. By understanding their synergistic relationship, we can better appreciate how each approach contributes to a comprehensive and holistic mental health support ecosystem. Through the combination of early intervention and ongoing professional support, MHFA courses and traditional mental health services work together to empower a person, families, and communities in navigating the complex landscape of mental health and well-being.

1. The Role of Mental Health First Aid Courses

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses are designed to help people recognise the early signs of mental health issues and provide appropriate support and guidance to those who may be struggling. These courses typically cover a range of topics, including the identification of common mental health disorders, crisis intervention strategies, and effective communication techniques for addressing mental health concerns.

MHFA courses offer several key contributions to the overall mental health support ecosystem:

Early intervention: By training participants to recognise the early signs of mental health challenges, MHFA courses encourage timely intervention, which can significantly improve the prognosis for many mental health conditions.
Increased awareness: The courses help to raise awareness about mental health issues, ensuring that more people understand the importance of mental well-being and are adequately equipped to provide support.
Reduced stigma: MHFA courses challenge and address misconceptions around mental health disorders, fostering a more compassionate and respectful attitude towards mental health challenges within communities.

2. Traditional Mental Health Services: Diagnosis and Ongoing Treatment

Traditional mental health services encompass an array of trained professionals who offer specialised support and treatment for people experiencing mental health issues. This may include psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, and social workers, who provide tailored interventions based on the specific needs and challenges each person faces. The key roles of traditional mental health services include:

Accurate diagnosis: Mental health professionals are equipped to assess and diagnose mental health disorders, ensuring that people receive the appropriate treatment and care for their specific challenges.
Ongoing treatment: Traditional mental health services offer a variety of treatment options, such as medication, therapy, and lifestyle modifications, to help people manage their mental health conditions and improve their overall well-being.
Long-term support: Mental health professionals provide ongoing support and guidance for people with mental health issues, enabling them to navigate their challenges and work towards recovery over time.

3. Bridging the Gap: How MHFA Courses and Traditional Mental Health Services Complement Each Other

While MHFA courses and traditional mental health services may appear to address different aspects of mental health, they are, in fact, complementary and mutually supportive. By understanding how these two approaches work together, we can optimise the mental health support ecosystem for more effective care and outcomes.

Here are several ways in which MHFA courses and traditional mental health services complement each other:

Training vs. treatment: MHFA courses focus on training people to provide initial support and referrals for mental health challenges, while traditional mental health services are responsible for diagnosing and providing ongoing treatment. This means that MHFA-trained people can identify and support people in need, while traditional mental health services offer expert care to address the person’s specific needs.
Collaboration between community and professionals: People trained in MHFA can help bridge the gap between those facing mental health challenges and the professional support they may require. By promoting open communication and facilitating connections with mental health services, MHFA-trained people can ensure that people receive the appropriate support and care as quickly as possible.
Enhanced support networks: As more people complete MHFA courses and gain mental health-related knowledge, communities become better equipped to provide understanding and compassionate support for those experiencing mental health challenges. This, in turn, strengthens the overall network of support available to people with mental health conditions, complementing the care provided by mental health professionals.

4. Fostering Cooperation Between MHFA-Trained people and Mental Health Professionals

For MHFA courses and traditional mental health services to work together most effectively, fostering cooperation and communication between both parties is crucial. Here are some strategies to encourage collaboration:

Sharing knowledge and resources: By exchanging information and resources, both MHFA-trained people and mental health professionals can enhance their understanding of mental health challenges, leading to more effective and well-rounded support.
Regular communication: Encouraging ongoing dialogue between MHFA-trained people and mental health professionals can facilitate the sharing of updates, challenges, and successes, promoting mutual learning and support.
Joint initiatives and programs: Implementing programs that involve both community members and mental health professionals, such as support groups or workshops, can further enhance the synergy between the two by helping people experiencing mental health challenges feel adequately supported at all levels.

Both Mental Health First Aid Courses and traditional mental health services play vital and complementary roles in addressing mental health challenges. By working together and leveraging each approach’s unique strengths, we can create a well-rounded, robust ecosystem of mental health support to benefit families and communities.

Recognising the importance of collaboration and communication between these two components is key to optimising mental health outcomes for everyone.

Enhancing Mental Health Support through Collaboration and Education

The synergy between Mental Health First Aid courses and traditional mental health services is crucial for effectively addressing the mental health challenges that many people face. By recognising the complementary roles of each approach in providing education and support, we can build diversified, compassionate, and knowledgeable communities experienced in helping others navigate mental health challenges.

To join this growing network of MHFA-trained people, consider enrolling in a course at The Mental Health Coach. Our expert-led courses will help you develop practical skills, enhance your understanding of mental health issues, and empower you to provide meaningful support to those who may need it. Explore our range of mental health first aid online course options today, and take the first step towards bridging the gap between community members and professional mental health services.

Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training: How to Prepare

28 July 2021/0 Comments/in Mental Health First Aid Refresher /by admin

The Mental Health First Aid Refresher training is the perfect way to maintain your MHFA accreditation. Stay up to date on policies and procedures, and keep your skillset sharp. Whether you’re due for an accreditation renewal or you want to brush up on your MHFA skills. There’s one thing that will help to ensure your success upon your course completion: being prepared.

It’s a known fact that being aptly prepared for an important event helps to improve mental clarity. As well as increased organisation. With that said, here are a few tips to help you along your way:

Create a Plan

It’s been said that creating a plan eliminates many of the negatives when taking a course. Including feeling overwhelmed by the material, forgetting important tools you’ll need, and the list goes on. Being unprepared can leave you frazzled and frustrated. These are not good places to be in when you’re trying to learn.

Thankfully, having a plan that works for you will serve you in a variety of ways. It gives you the mental clarity and presence that you’ll need to absorb the information effectively. Whether that means writing yourself a list of materials to have ready. Scheduling your travel so that you arrive on time. Or something else you deem important. Be sure to take care of it ahead of time so that you can be as ready as necessary before class time.

Part of your planning might even be to schedule your Mental Health First Aid Refresher training into the diary well in advance.

Dedicate Enough Time

While this technically falls in with planning, it’s so important that we felt the need to give it a section all its own. Life can get busy, and we all know what that’s like. You’re rushing from one responsibility to the next as per usual. Suddenly it dawns on you that you’ve forgotten that you were supposed to do something.

Don’t let that be the case with something as important as your Mental Health First Aid Refresher training. Setting aside a block of time in your calendar can do wonders to ensure that you’ll be prepared, on time, and ready to learn. Let family members or other important people know you’ll be unavailable during this time as well.

Another tip: set yourself a series of reminders to alert you the week prior, the day prior, etc. This will ensure you’re all set when the time arrives.

Find a Quiet Place

If you’re taking the Mental Health First Aid Refresher training online, it’s imperative that you find a quiet place to attend the Zoom meeting. This means no interruptions. No dogs barking. No kids asking for a snack, no nothing. The importance of this not only affects your learning experience. But also that of the others taking the course with you. So please consider this when scheduling a time to take your online course.

There are options for those of you whose homes are a little on the loud side, as we can all appreciate. We’re only human and have lives after all! Some suggestions might include finding a baby or dog sitter for a few hours. Asking a friend to use their home or office. Sitting in a place like a library or relatively quiet coffee shop. Or even your car will work if that’s all you can do!

Wrapping up

Being prepared is something we all take for granted from time to time, and that’s okay. However, when you’re investing in something as important as education or providing help to others. Or in this case, both. It’s important to help yourself get the most out of the training you’ve signed up for. Not only will you learn more effectively when you’re well prepared. But the people you help will benefit from your skills that much more as well.

Hopefully these tips on how to prepare for your Mental Health First Aid Refresher training will do just that. We appreciate your willingness to help others in their time of need and want you to stay up to date so you can keep on doing what you do best. If you’re approaching your accreditation expiration and need to renew, or even if you just want to update yourself on your skills, we’d love for you to enrol today!

The Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training is endorsed and accredited by Mental Health First Aid Australia.

MHFA Training Courses: How to Choose the Right Provider For You

28 July 2021/0 Comments/in LGBTQIA+, Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Course Youth, Mental Health First Aid In Person, Mental Health First Aid Online, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Workplace wellness, Young people /by admin

When deciding to do MHFA Training Courses or a Mental Health First Aid Refresher there are many variables. One thing that this includes is choosing the provider that will carry out your training. There are so many providers out there, and this can sometimes feel like an impossible choice!

Instead of spending hours upon hours trying to work this out on your own, we thought we’d give you a hand by showing you what to look for in a provider, so that you can spend less time researching and more time getting your MHFA Training Courses done.

Here are 4 ways to ensure that you choose the best provider for your training:

Choose a Principle Master Instructor

Principle Master Instructors are the most experienced and trusted instructors. They are the highest qualified amongst all MHFA facilitators. And, therefore the best choice when considering the provider for your MHFA Training Courses. Aside from their qualifications, the fact that they deliver courses so regularly means that they are well experienced in the content they teach. As well as consistently up to date on the current teaching model.

Choose a Qualified Instructor

Did you know that some instructors don’t carry any qualifications other than being accredited to deliver MHFA Training Courses? While this may not be a deal breaker for some, ideally having an instructor with qualifications in the mental health field is your best bet. This will ensure that you’re getting the best quality training possible. And, it applies to your refresher course as well.

Our instructors are highly qualified, including those with counselling and mental health qualifications. As well as International Coaching Federation Credentialled Coaches, and Australian Counselling Association members.

Choose an Experienced Facilitator

Have you ever attended a course or training and while you thought the content was good, you felt let down by the facilitator? A facilitator can make or break your experience of a course or training. No matter how good the content might be. Or, how excited you were to take the training in the first place. A competent, engaging facilitator makes all the difference. This is something we put a lot of thought into when choosing our facilitators for your MHFA Training Courses. Especially our Mental Health First Aid Refresher. Our facilitators are consistently scored 9.5 out of 10 (or higher). We work hard to bring you the most recent model of training while making the course an enjoyable experience.

Choose an Organisation That can Manage the Administration for You

Organising MHFA Training Courses and rolling it out for a group of people means taking on a lot of administrative work. There are so many elements to consider in order to create a successful roll out. Like tracking attendance, course completion, and the details of your course takers, to name a few.

Thankfully, we will do all of this busy work for you. You can focus on the most important thing of all: the training itself. No worries about who will do what, just let us take care of the details and enjoy your course!

Wrapping it up

Choosing a provider can feel like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be that way. When you know what to look for in a course provider, it makes it easier to weed out the ones that aren’t a good fit for you so you can more easily find the ones that are.

Once you’ve found the right provider for your needs, you can get started on the most important thing: your MHFA Training Course. Our facilitators are highly qualified and look forward to teaching you the most current model of MHFA Training Courses available.

Our MHFA Training Courses are endorsed and accredited by Mental Health First Aid Australia.

Mental Health First Aid Renewal Course: 5 Things You Won’t Miss Out if You Attend

27 July 2021/0 Comments/in Mental Health First Aid Refresher /by admin

Mental Health First Aiders are accredited for 3 years at a time. Between renewals much can change, whether it be for yourself, the people you help, and/or mental health research, policies and procedures. One way to be sure that you’re up to date on the most current happenings in Mental Health First Aid is to take a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course, referred to as a MHFA Refresher. This will help you to provide assistance to those in need in the most effective way possible.

There are other benefits available to you as well, 5 of which we’ve listed for you here:

You’ll Stay Current on Mental Health Facts

In the mental health field, research is an ongoing process. This means that there are frequent changes and as a result of this, important policies, procedures and protocols are also subject to change. While you’re accredited for a 3-year period, there is much that can change between renewals. The best way to counteract this is to take a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course every 3 years at a minimum, and more often if you can. This way, you can always be confident that the help you give is the most effective, impactful, and up to date that it can be.

You’ll Get Access to any Changes in the MHFA Model

As a result of the research changes mentioned above, from time to time we must also make changes to the model that we teach in the course. This is important to know, as the model we teach is what makes our conversations (and our impact on others) as successful as possible. Taking a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course will ensure that you’re always up to date on the most recent model, allowing you to have effective, impactful conversations that the people you help have come to count on.

Opportunity to Practice Your Skills

It’s always a good idea to practice your skills, and we do just that (a lot of that, actually) in the Mental Health First Aid Renewal course. Even if you use your skills regularly, having an expert trainer to practice with and to provide you with feedback will help to strengthen them even more. This is beneficial to your MHFA performance, but it also does wonders for your confidence. To know that what you’re doing helps people is a great feeling, but to know that you’re doing it well feels even better.

Letting Your Accreditation Lapse

Accreditation is valid for a 3-year period, as you know. But did you know that if you let it lapse, you’ll have to take the initial training all over again? This is a very good reason to take a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course, and before your accreditation period expires! The initial training is longer than the refresher training, and if you’ve already taken it once you may not want to go back to the beginning. Prevent this by taking the refresher course and stay up to date on important changes while you’re at it.

Hear From Other Mental Health First Aiders

One of the best parts of Mental Health First Aid Renewal training is the chance to connect with other Mental Health First Aiders. Talking to people who have the same training and desire to help others as yourself is a wonderful experience, and only helps to solidify your belief in what you do. With such a diverse group as ours, you’ll get to hear the different perspectives of others who do what you do, all while learning together as a community. You never know what you might learn from someone you just met, just by listening to what they have to say!

Taking a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course is a good idea for various reasons, some of which you’ve just read here. Not only will you maintain your accreditation by staying current on the ever-changing research of mental health, but your skills and confidence will benefit as well.

Finding community with your fellow Mental health First Aiders and practicing your skills with an expert trainer will ensure that you’re doing your best, and that you know it. Helping people is a selfless and honorable act, and we want you to keep doing the great work you’re doing!

So, if you’re approaching your 3-year expiration and need to renew, or just want to brush up on your skills and spend some time updating your knowledge, we’d love for you to enrol in a Mental Health First Aid Renewal course today!

The Mental Health First Aid Refresher program is endorsed and accredited by Mental Health First Aid Australia.

Why is it Important to Do Your Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training?

5 June 2021/0 Comments/in Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Workplace wellness /by admin

Mental health is just as important as physical health; in fact, the two go hand in hand.
Sadly, too many people go without the help they need for a variety of reasons. These
people would benefit greatly from someone educated in Mental Health First Aid, who
can be a lifeline in their time of need.

Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training is important. If you’re a Mental Health First Aider, you’ve signed on to be that lifeline to those in need
and are doing your part to help others. Thank you! The world needs more people like
you; selflessly helping people who need someone to walk them through what can be
confusing, frightening times.

What you do as a Mental Health First Aider makes an enormous difference to the lives
of those in need of care, as well as their families, significant others and loved ones.
You’ve been educated on how to assess the severity of situations, how to approach
someone with an important (yet difficult) conversation regarding their mental health, and
how to intervene in real-world mental health situations, just to name a few of your skills.
However, you’ll become limited in your ability to help if you’re not up to date on Mental
Health First Aid.

Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training people learning mental health first aid

people learning mental health first aid. Mental Health First Aid Refresher Training

Here are some of the benefits of doing your Mental Health First Aid Refresher training, and why you should consider it:

Extend Your Accreditation

Mental Health First Aid accreditation gives you the right to practice Mental Health First
Aid for three years. While that might seem like miles away, the time will pass faster than
you think.

Staying current with your accreditation will allow you to continue practicing Mental
Health First Aid without unaccredited gaps, which is one less thing for you to worry
about while you help those in need.

Taking a Mental Health First Aid Refresher training course will ensure that you can continue
practicing and helping those in need of care, knowing that you are covered by law and
fully permitted to do so.

Stay Up to Date on New Policies and Practices
Medical practices, policies and procedures are constantly changing, and Mental Health
is no different. Between just two accreditations there could (and likely will) be multiple
significant changes in these areas, and if you want to continue your practice, it’s
important to stay up to date.

Taking the Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course will ensure that you are aware of
these critical changes. This gives you the freedom to continue helping others, assured
that you’re up to date on the vital details of your practice.

Renew Your Confidence
Taking the Mental Health First Aid refresher course has yet another benefit: renewing
your confidence. This applies to refresher courses on pretty much any topic, but
especially something as important as caring for others’ wellbeing.

When you have confidence in yourself as a Mental Health First Aider, you’ll be doing a
service to not only yourself, but the people you help as well. Knowing you’re up to date
on any changes, keeping your accreditation current, and refreshing the training for
yourself all contribute to more confidence.

The people you help will notice the difference when you’re feeling more confident too,
allowing them to in turn feel more confident in you and the help that you provide them. It
really is a win-win all around.

Practice Your Skills
One of the best (if not the best) ways to get better at something is to practice it
regularly. This goes for anything you wish to improve at, and Mental Health First Aid is
no exception.

The more you practice the better you’ll be, and this will contribute to your effectiveness
as a Mental Health First Aider in multiple ways. Not only will it feed your confidence as
stated earlier, but it will ensure that you’re giving people the best possible chance at
recovery when you help them.

Taking a Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course will give you the opportunity to
practice those skills you previously learned, learn even more new skills, and boost your
ability to do what you intended to do in the first place: help those in need.

For more detail on what you’ll learn in this course, click here.

Refresh Your Skills Comfortably and Conveniently
The Mental Health First Aid Refresher is a 6-hour online course. This means you can
refresh your skills, accreditation and confidence, all on your own time and from the
location you choose.

There are no in-person seminars or classes, just a virtual group call with your instructor
and peers. We make it as convenient as possible so that you can continue your
important work without having to rearrange your priorities.

You can enrol in your Mental Health First Aid Refresher course here.

People like you are important. Having your help in times of need is integral to the
recovery of the people you help, so staying updated on your skills is essential. This is
why taking a Mental Health First Aid Refresher course is so important — we need you
to keep doing what you do best!

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What you’ll learn in Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course

5 March 2021/in Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Workplace wellness /by SEO SEO

If you’ve already completed your initial Mental Health First Aid training and gained your accreditation, then the Mental Health First Aid Refresher course is for you.

Refresher courses allow people who have previously completed a 12 or 14 hour Mental Health First Aid course to refresh their knowledge and skills. For people who are Accredited MHFAiders, the refresher courses offer an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.

The content of each refresher course is based on guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals.

What you’ll learn in the Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course

This course gives participants an opportunity to refresh the knowledge and skills learnt during the 12-hour Standard MHFA Course. You will:

- Gain an understanding of the latest research in the mental health field
- Learn the 3 key actions for helping someone feeling suicidal
- Work through complex mental health first aid interactions
- Practice mental health first aid skills.

Other options

If you’re looking for a course that is focussed on Mental Health First Aid for adults, you may like to take a look at our specific adult courses, delivered face to face, or online.

If you want to study Mental Health First Aid skills to use with young people, then the Youth Mental Health First Aid course might be if interest.

How much do you know about mental health?

25 February 2021/0 Comments/in LGBTQIA+, Life's Challenges, Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Course Youth, Mental Health First Aid In Person, Mental Health First Aid Online, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Psychological Safety, Quiz, Support Services, Workplace wellness, Young people /by SEO SEO

Why you should complete your MHFA Refresher Course?

27 December 2020/0 Comments/in Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Workplace wellness /by admin

If you’ve already done a Mental Health First Aid course, Completing your MHFA Refresher program is a great idea!

What is a MHFA Refresher?

MHFA Refresher courses are 6-hour online courses. These courses are for people who have previously completed their initial training. This helps you to refresh your knowledge and skills. And doing a refresher program also extends your Mental Health First Aid Accreditation for a further three years.

If you have completed one of our Mental Health First Aid courses, then this refresher is right for you. MHFA Australia constantly reviews the course material to ensure it reflects the best researched and updated practices currently being used in the field of Mental Health First Aid! Consequently, by doing a MHFA Refresher program you’re making sure that you have the most current knowledge available.

What you’ll learn

You’ll learn the most up to date practices in providing Mental Health First Aid. You’ll also receive an updated Mental Health First Aid manual.

The MHFA Refresher Course gives participants an opportunity to refresh the knowledge and skills learnt during your initial Mental Health First Aid training. It will help you…

Gain an understanding of the latest research in the mental health field.
Learn and review the 3 key actions for helping someone feeling suicidal.
Work through complex mental health first aid scenarios
Practice your Mental Health First Aid skills…. and more

Complete your MHFA Refresher Course with Us!

We offer the Standard Refresher Program. This is suitable for anyone who has completed the Standard, Community or Workplace Mental Health First Aid course.

You can enrol here.

And we also run these courses completely online. It’s made up of two, three-hour webinars. In addition, you’ll receive a new hardcopy of the current MHFA Manual too!

Haven’t done your initial MHFA Training?

If you haven’t done your initial Mental Health First Aid training, we can help!

Mental Health First Aid is the benchmark Mental Health First Aid course in Australia. Further, the course has been adapted globally. Its’ designed and developed by Mental Health First Aid Australia. As a result, it’s recognised internationally for evidence-based and highly practical.

We deliver a wide variety of Mental Health First Aid courses which are suited to organisations, workplaces, or individuals. Anyone wishing to learn more about mental health and mental illness will benefit from these courses. We’ll soon deliver Youth courses, too.

About your initial training

The course provides a wide-ranging overview of all common mental health issues. In other words, you’ll learn how to recognise their symptoms and signs. We’ll cover how to have a conversation with someone about their mental health. Further, it also shows you where you can refer someone to get professional help. Check out more about our initial MHFA training here.

Who are our trainers?

Our courses are facilitated by professionally trained and accredited coaches. We deliver it publicly and in house for organisations and workplaces. We are highly skilled, caring, and we ensure a safe and supportive learning environment.

The Importance of Having A Mental Health First Aid Overview

3 October 2020/0 Comments/in LGBTQIA+, Life's Challenges, Mental Health At Work, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Course Youth, Mental Health First Aid In Person, Mental Health First Aid Online, Mental Health First Aid Refresher, Workplace wellness /by admin

Learning Mental Health First Aid is just as important as learning physical first aid – and just as easy!