Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, mental health first aid is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved
Mental Health First Aid Basic will be offered September 29 – September 30, 2016 (from 9:00am – 4:00pm). Cost is $150.00 per person and the course capacity is 25 people. Find out more or register here.
What is Mental Health First Aid Canada?
One in three Canadians will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life. The earlier a problem is detected and treated, the better the outcome. Mental Health First Aid Canada gives people the skills to provide that early help that is so important in recovery.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved.
Mental health first aid teaches people the skills needed to help when a person is experiencing a mental health crisis
The MHFA Canada program aims to improve mental health literacy, and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manage potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, a friend or a colleague.
The course outlines various mood, anxiety, psychotic and substance-abuse disorders,
while trying to teach participants a proper response to mental health emergencies
The program does not teach people how to be therapists. It does teach people how to:
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems.
- Provide initial help.
- Guide a person towards appropriate professional help.
MHFA aims to:
- Preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others.
- Provide help to prevent the mental health problem from developing into a more serious state.
- Promote the recovery of good mental health.
- Provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem.
Despite the prevalence of mental health problems, many people don’t recognize, or misinterpret, the symptoms of a developing condition and are unaccustomed to offering support to family, friends, colleagues, or strangers. People don’t want to get involved, people are too rushed in their lives and people don’t understand mental health. That’s what’s so important about the course; it makes it so people are okay and comfortable talking about it. — Denise Waligora, manager of program education at the Mental Health Commission of Canada
Along with the basic mental health first aid course, there is an expanded version for adults who deal with youth, including additional modules on self-harm and eating disorders. The commission is now developing a course tailored to Aboriginal peoples, as well as a geriatrics course which will include information on mental health problems such as delirium and dementia. [source: CMAJ, The boundaries of mental health first aid, Oct 2012]
Course to be offered in Nanaimo
Taryn O’Flanagan is a registered social worker and trained therapist, as well as
independent housing manager at Vancouver Island Mental Health Society.
Taryn will offer basic mental health first aid training in workshops across Vancouver Island
Taryn O’Flanagan is independent housing manager at Vancouver Island Mental Health Society. Taryn is also a trained mental health first aid instructor. She’ll offer MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) Basic, a 12-hour course focused on adults interacting with adults in all environments.
The course discusses the following mental disorders: substance related disorders; mood related disorders; anxiety and trauma related disorders; and psychotic disorders.
Crisis first aid skills are also taught for responding to: substance overdose; suicidal behavior; panic attack; acute stress reaction; and psychotic episode.
MHFA Basic will be offered September 29 – September 30, 2016 (from 9:00am – 4:00pm). Cost is $150.00 per person and the course capacity is 25 people. Find out more or register here.
We speak with Taryn O’Flanagan.
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audio | #mhfa #Nanaimo #MentalHealth First Aid SEPT 29 & 30, 2016 @VIMentalHealth @MHCC_ | https://t.co/Tlbug0wfR5 pic.twitter.com/NT0oLoYWKQ
— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) September 14, 2016
