What does MHFA mean?

MHFA stands for Mental Health First Aid. It is an Australian program for the training of mental health first aiders. The approach envisages that people in their own environment can make a significant contribution to early recognition, education and connection to a professional help system.

Accordingly, the MHFA training "includes the provision of basic knowledge about mental disorders. Following on from this, specific first aid measures for developing mental health problems and acute mental health crises are learned and consolidated through practical exercises." (MHFA first aiders, ZI Mannheim, 2022).

This in turn means that MHFAs are not psychotherapists, but students who are committed to the mental health of their fellow human beings. They are therefore the first point of contact, as with physical first aid. 

It is particularly important that the conversations are confidential and that personal data is not passed on. The MHFAs have exchange meetings where they get support from each other on how best to help a person or how to deal with the case. 

The MHFAs receive professional support from the university chaplaincy and the psychological counseling center. 

In Germany, the training takes place at the Central Institute for Mental Health in Mannheim. You can find information about the training here: https://www.mhfa-ersthelfer.de/de/ . 

Have we caught your attention and would you also like to become a first aider for mental health? In the future, there will be an opportunity for training at the university on a regular basis. Further information will be announced here on the website.