Mental Health First Aid Programme
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What is mental health first aid?
Just as first aid is administered to someone with physical injuries, mental health first aid are basic steps in which one can apply to help someone who is having a mental health problem till the person finds professional help.
The aims of mental health first aid are to:
- preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others
- provide help to prevent the mental health problem developing into a more serious state
- promote the recovery of good mental health
- provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem.
Mental health first aid is only a basic course and is not meant to teach people to be therapists. It helps the individual trained in MHFA skills to recognize mental health problems, provide initial help, and guide the person towards appropriate professional help.
Background of MHFA Program
The 12-hour MHFA course was originally developed by Betty Kitchener and Professor Anthony Jorm (Australia, University of Melbourne) in 2000, with intention of raising mental health literacy in the Australian community. Since then, the MHFA Training and Research Program has been developed, evaluated and disseminated nationally and internationally.
The philosophy behind the 12-hour course is that mental-health crisis can be avoided through early intervention and treatment. If mental health crisis do occur, then the public can take practical steps to minimise harm as well as to get the person to appropriate professional help.
The website www.mhfa.com.au has further information on the development and latest updates of the program.
Development of MHFA Program in Singapore
The program was introduced in Singapore in 2006. A group of 7 instructors from NUS and community agencies were trained as instructors to provide the MHFA training. The program had received favourable feedback and with the increase in requests for the course, there was a need to establish a local program, MHFA (Singapore) to make the training more applicable and readily available to the larger community in Singapore.
In July 2007, a memorandum of understanding was signed by MHFA Australia and CGH. The purpose of the MOU is to improve mental health literacy among Singaporeans based on the following:
- sound scientific evidence and expert consensus
- high standards in the teaching of instructors in MHFA
- dissemination of the MHFA Australia
With this MOU, CGH is given permission to use copyrighted MHFA materials to be incorporated into the Singapore version of MHFA and has undertaken the responsibility to:
- be the representative body for MHFA (Singapore)
- hold the rights to the copyright materials to be adapted to a locally relevant manual and to reproduce MHFA (Singapore) manuals for local training
- ensure that the program is maintained at high standard and quality as set by the founders of the program
- train instructors and to ensure that a satisfactory level of teaching is maintained
- oversee local instructors and provide support to them
Development of MHFA OP
MHFA Singapore has recently been revised to cater to the needs of this population – Mental Health First Aid (Older Person). MHFA (OP) is necessary as it is recognised that mental health problems in older persons are often managed differently when compared to the general adult population. The course includes a module on confusion in older persons, which is a common presentation in mental disorders in older persons. Using video clips, role plays and case discussions specific to the older person, MHFA (OP) teaches the participants to recognise and provide initial help to older persons with common mental health problems such as depression, dementia, anxiety and psychosis. Basic first aid steps are used to support the older person in mental health crisis until the person is referred for professional help.
This course is targeted at those without prior knowledge of mental health issues. It is also relevant for staff and volunteers working at eldercare agencies such as neighbourhood links, seniors activity centres, rehabilitation centres, hospitals and nursing homes.
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