Mental Health First Aid (Singapore)

The two-day MHFA(S) Adult course is not meant to teach people to be therapists nor counsellors but helps the trained individual to recognize common mental health problems in the adult population, provide initial help and support and guide the person towards appropriate professional help.  This course is targeted at those without prior knowledge of mental health issues. It is particularly relevant for improving mental health awareness at the workplace since most employees are in the adult age group. With early identification and treatment, most will recover well and return to productive lives.

This course looks at four common groups of disorders among the general adult community. These are Psychotic Disorders, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders and Addiction Problems.

Our Objectives:

·         Learn to recognise symptoms of mental health problems

·         Provide initial help to those experiencing mental distress

·         How to guide a person suffering from mental health problems towards appropriate professional help

Program Outline:

Mental Health First Aid-Singapore (Older Person) was developed to cater to the needs of this population. MHFA(S) (Older Person) 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(S) (Older Person) teaches 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.

This course caters to the needs of the older person. The issues or problems are required to be managed differently when compared to the general adult population. Designed for the older person, the course covers depression, dementia, dementia, anxiety and psychosis

Target audience for MHFA (OP) course:

Staff and volunteers working at eldercare agencies such as neighborhood links, seniors activity centers, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and nursing homes.  This course is also targeted at those without prior knowledge of mental health issues in older persons. It is relevant for both family and professional caregivers of older person such as staff and/or volunteers of eldercare agencies in the community.

Program Outline:

The two-day (14 contact hours) YMHFA(S) course is not meant to teach people to be therapists nor counsellors but helps the trained individual to recognize mental health problems, provide initial help and support and guide the young person towards appropriate professional help.  The YMHFA(S) course includes a module on self-harm behaviors, which is a common presentation in mental disorders in young people.  Designed for the young person, YMHFA(S) covers Depression, Addiction, Eating Disorders, Anxiety and Psychosis.

Target audiences include:

Professionals working with young people such as teachers as well as adult volunteers working volunteers working at youth agencies such as neighbourhood links, family service centres, student support centres, befrienders and youth outreach services.

Program Outline:

This is a 2-day crisis intervention programme suitable for individuals interested in learning to support children and youth (aged 6 to 18 years old) through a crisis.

Crisis situations could be large-scale (e.g. mass disasters), small-scale (e.g. personal losses, sexual and physical abuse), or even daily stressors (e.g. academic stress and peer conflicts). In the month after a crisis, children and youth may no longer have concerns about their physical safety and needs, but may still be experiencing some symptoms of distress. Crisis intervention can help to buffer children against developing more severe and prolonged mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Using experiential learning and activities, participants in this programme will learn about:

·         Common stress responses in children and youth after a crisis

·         How to teach basic coping strategies to children and youth, and their families

·         Self-care

 Program Outline: