Mental Health First Aid: Essentials & Certificate

The choice between MHFA Essentials and Certification depends on your specific goals and context. Choose Essentials (one-day, no assessment) for broad, cost-effective coverage to build general awareness. Choose Certification (two-day, includes assessment) when you need designated, credentialed responders or deeper content validation.

Professionals in frontline social services, nursing, or emergency response (or related) should take the 2-day Certification course. All other businesses should aim for one certified MHFA responder per 25 employees. This ensures that each team or department has someone formally trained to respond to a mental health crisis. The remaining employees can be trained in MHFA Essentials and The Working Mind (TWM) to build general awareness and early support skills. This layered approach balances depth and reach—providing both credentialed responders and a culture of mental health literacy across the organization.

• MHFA: Essentials (1-day course): Participants will receive a certificate of participation, but does not qualify as a certified Mental Health First Aider status.

• MHFA: Certificate (2-day course): After the online course, participants will be sent an online assessment. They have 7 days to complete this assessment. After completion of the virtual course and online assessment, they will be certified as Mental Health First Aiders. This certificate expires in 3 years, but can be renewed by taking a refresher course before the expiration date.

No, participants must complete both days of the MHFA Certification course to receive certification. MHFA Essentials and MHFA Certification are separate courses and do not build on each other.

This course is online via Zoom. Mental Health First Aid is a participant-centered learning journey. You'll benefit from lively group discussions, practical application through scenario-based activities and role-playing to master the MHFA action plan, and dedicated time for questions and answers.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an accredited, certification program that teaches how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems and crises. The purpose of Mental Health First Aid is to equip the community with the skills to offer initial support to someone experiencing a mental health challenge or in a crisis until professional help can be obtained. This mental health awareness training aims to bridge the gap between noticing a problem and getting appropriate care, ultimately promoting mental well-being in communities.

Across diverse industries, many employers are making Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification a requirement for employment, while others pursue this training for their personal and professional development. Anyone can benefit from taking a Mental Health First Aid course. The target audience is broad and includes individuals from all walks of life who want to learn how to support others experiencing mental health difficulties. This mental health training is particularly valuable for: parents, teachers, healthcare professionals (non-mental health specialists), employers, HR professionals, first responders, community leaders, and anyone who interacts with the public.

In a Mental Health First Aid course, you will learn to identify the signs and symptoms of various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and substance use disorders. Specific topics covered include understanding risk factors and warning signs, and developing a 5-step action plan. You will gain practical skills in how to approach and support someone in distress, how to listen non-judgmentally, how to give reassurance and information, how to encourage appropriate professional help, and how to encourage self-help and other support strategies.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is designed to provide immediate, short-term emotional support in the aftermath of a crisis. It’s typically a shorter, less intensive program aimed at a broad audience. MHFA, by contrast, offers a more structured and comprehensive approach to mental health literacy and crisis response.

No prior experience or specific qualifications are required to take a Mental Health First Aid course. The program is designed for the general public and aims to provide foundational knowledge and skills in mental health support. Anyone with an interest in learning how to help someone experiencing a mental health problem is encouraged to participate in this training.

Mental Health First Aid is not a substitute for therapy or counseling. The key difference lies in the level and goal of intervention. Mental Health First Aiders are trained to recognize the signs of mental health challenges and offer initial support and guidance to connect individuals with appropriate professional help, such as therapists, counselors, or psychiatrists. Therapy and counseling, on the other hand, are ongoing professional treatments aimed at diagnosing and addressing mental illnesses over time. MHFA provides immediate mental health support, while therapy offers long-term mental health treatment.

You can register by looking at our Upcoming Courses by clicking here!

Yes! We offer Mental Health First Aid for Adults Supporting Youth. You can register in MHFA: Adults Supporting Youth by clicking here!

Our accredited training portfolio features programs such as MHFA for Adults Supporting Youth, The Working Mind, and Workplace Psychological Health & Safety. Furthermore, we are expanding our offerings with self-directed options and additional accredited programs from the Mental Health Commission of Canada.