Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis. Information on our course offerings and links to register for a course are below.
Virtual Courses
We offer two virtual versions of the Mental Health First Aid course, Mental Health First Aid Standard Virtual and Mental Health First Aid Supporting Youth Virtual.
These courses will help you learn how to recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis and encourage that person to:
- Talk about declines in their mental well-being
- Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being
- Reach out to these supports
- Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis
Topics for both virtual courses include MHFA actions, guidelines for MHFA conversations with people from diverse cultures and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, using MHFA actions for your own self-care, and practice using the MHFA skills for situations of declining mental health and crisis.
Mental Health First Aid Standard Virtual consists of one 2-hour self-directed module and two 3.5-hour live virtual sessions.
MHFA Supporting Youth Virtual consists of one 2-hour self-directed module and two 4-hour live virtual sessions and is designed specifically for those who have frequent contact with young people ages 12 to 24.
More details are available for the Standard Virtual course here and the Supporting Youth Virtual course here.
Approximately 2 weeks before your virtual live modules (Modules 2 and 3), you will be emailed a link to complete the self-directed module (Module 1) online and access your MHFA Reference Guide and course materials. If you are registering within 2 weeks of the live modules, you will be sent this email as soon as possible.
Please note that you are required to:
- Complete Module 1 in order to participate in Modules 2 and 3.
- Be present for the entire course in order to receive a certificate.
- Have your camera on during the live modules.
Cost: $175 per person for courses in 2022, $200 per person for courses in 2023
A limited number of discounts are available for students and seniors. Contact us at 1-877-693-4270 or register@cmhahrb.ca for details.
Upcoming Courses
MHFA Standard Virtual
Monday, January 16 and Tuesday, January 17, 2023 – 9 am to 12:30 pm each day
Thursday, February 16, 2023 – 9 am to 5 pm
Click here to register for a course
All times are EST.
*See refund policy below
MHFA Supporting Youth Virtual
Wednesday and Thursday, March 1 and 2, 2023 – 1 to 5 pm each day
Click here to register for a course
All times are EST.
*See refund policy below
In-Person Courses
Mental Health First Aid is a two-day, basic-level interactive course that teaches people with limited or no mental health knowledge how to help someone showing signs of a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Topics include:
- Signs and symptoms of mental health problems and crisis situations
- A basic model to provide Mental Health First Aid
- Information about how to help in a crisis
- Encouraging a person to identify options for help
We offer two versions of the course, Mental Health First Aid Basic and Mental Health First Aid for Adults Who Interact With Youth.
The 2-day Basic course discusses substance-related disorders, mood-related disorders, anxiety and trauma-related disorders, and psychotic disorders.
The 2-day Adults Who Interact With Youth (age 12 to 24) course discusses substance-related disorders, mood-related disorders, anxiety and trauma-related disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, and deliberate self-injury.
All courses are at 1540 Cornwall Road, Oakville. Follow the signs for CMHA.
Time: Basic: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm each day; Adults Who Interact With Youth: 8:30 pm to 5 pm each day
Cost: $175 per person
A limited number of discounts are available for students and seniors. Contact us at 1-877-693-4270 or register@cmhahrb.ca for details.
PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATION FOR OUR IN-PERSON COURSES IS CURRENTLY CLOSED AND IN-PERSON TRAINING IS ON HOLD. Registration will be available through this site once it is re-opened.
Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
*While we do not provide refunds once a payment is made, you may transfer your registration to another course within one year, to a maximum of two attempts at re-registration.