While people often know a lot about common physical health problems, there is widespread ignorance of mental health. This ignorance adds to the stigma for those people who have a mental health problem and often prevents people from seeking help early and seeking the best sort of help.
It also prevents people providing appropriate support to family members, friends and colleagues simply because they do not know how.
In order to help people provide initial support for someone with a mental health problem, the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University has developed an adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training course.
The courses provide information about depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorder. In addition the youth course includes modules on eating disorders and non-suicidal self-injury (self harming behaviour).
Participants in the course learn:
• How to recognise the symptoms of these mental illnesses
• The possible causes and risk factors for these illnesses
• The evidence based medical, psychological and alternative
treatments available
• How to give appropriate initial help and support to a person
experiencing one of these illnesses
• How to take appropriate action if a crisis situation arises
involving suicidal behaviour, panic attack, stress reaction to
trauma or threatening psychotic behaviour.
A certificate of attendance will be provided on completion of the two-day courses.
Barwon Health Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Service will be offering courses in both MHFA and YMHFA throughout 2012.
The following information includes dates, venues, cost and registration details for these training programs.
Adult Mental Health First Aid flyer 2012
Adult Mental Health First Aid registration 2012
Youth Mental Health First Aid flyer 2012
Youth Mental Health First Aid registration 2012 |