Mental Health First Aid courses

Course overview

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help given to someone developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. First aid is given until appropriate professional treatment is received or until the crisis resolves.  Mental health problems are common, there is stigma associated with mental health problems and many people do not recognise mental health problems.  Professional help is not always available and many people do not know how to help.

The following MHFA courses are available for University staff.

Standard Mental Health First Aid

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Participants attending this training will learn the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, where and how to get help and the help that has proven to be effective.

A printed manual will be provided to participants and will be needed for the e-learning and instructor-led components.

Course Structure

The course has three components:

• Component 1 - A self-paced eLearning component (takes 5-7 hours to complete) that must be completed prior to attending component 2.
• Component 2 - An in-person Instructor-led component, this will be held over one session and runs for 4.5 hours.
• Component 3 – Online exam (must be completed to be a first aid officer).

Cost

$100.00 per participant.

Standard Mental Health First Aid Refresher

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Refresher courses allow people who have previously completed a standard MHFA course within the previous three years to refresh their knowlege and skills. For people who are Accredited MHFAiders, the refresher courses offer an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.

The MHFA Refresher course involves an instructor-led component, face-to-face, 4.5 hours duration run on the same day.

A range of FAQs in regards to MHFA Refresher Training are available below:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I eligible to enrol in a Refresher Course?

You are eligible for a refresher course if you have accredited as an MHFAider within the last three years.

Login to your MHFA™ account here to check your accreditation expiry date and access your Certificate of Accreditation. Please provide this certificate to the instructor delivering the Refresher course so they can check your eligibility to attend.

Upon completion of your Refresher Course, you can attempt another accreditation assessment to extend your accreditation by a further 3 years.

What if I completed a standard Mental Health First Aid Course in the last 3 years but did not complete the accreditation assessment?

The accreditation assessment is able to be accessed for up to 3 months after you complete the course so, if it is still within this timeframe, please email mhfa@mhfa.com.au to request for your unique link to be re-sent to you. If it has been longer than 3 months since you attended a full course, you will be unable to attempt the accreditation assessment without completing a further full course.

I attended a Refresher Course but have been advised that I am ineligible to re-accredit. What can I do?

Confirming eligibility to re-accredit is the responsibility of the individual, not the instructor running the Refresher course. To receive a Certificate of Accreditation, you will need to attend a 2-day face-to-face or Blended course.

Which Refresher Course should I complete?

Accredited MHFAiders should complete the same type of Refresher Course as their original standard Mental Health First Aid course or equivalent to renew their accreditation. 

I have already completed a Refresher course. Can I complete another Refresher Course?

Three years after completing a Refresher Course, MHFAiders will need to attend a full MHFA course in order to maintain their accreditation.

Cost

$20.00 per participant.

First Aid Allowance

To be eligible for the first aid allowance under the ANU Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 (clause 67) a first aid officer must hold a current mental health first aid accreditation.

Staff are required to upload their Mental Health First Aid certificates into HORUS by following the instructions provided here. Under the ‘License’ section, please enter ‘MHAC’. If you already have an existing certificate uploaded to your Talent Profile you will need to update the existing record.

Supervisors can approve the forms following the instructions provided here.

If you have any issues or require more information please contact injurymanagement@anu.edu.au for assistance.

Cancellation policy

To apply for this course; ANU staff should enrol via HORUS.

A requirement of the registration process is to discuss and obtain the following from your supervisor:

• Approval to attend the training program; and
• Local area charging code

The following charges will apply for non-attendance at a workshop with cost unless the registrant nominates a colleague (who meets the eligibility criteria for the course) to attend in their place.

1. Notification of cancellation received within 0 – 5 working days of the course date will incur a charge equivalent to 100% of course fees
2. Notification of cancellation received within 6 – 10 working days of the course date will incur a charge equivalent to 50% of course fees

Please note for non-attendance due to illness or caring responsibilities, reasonable evidence will be required to waive the non-attendance fee.