There are three steps to complete when undertaking a Blended MHFA course. Complete course component 1 elearning. You will need to create an account (or log in to an existing account) and then enrol in eLearning here. You can pay directly for course component 1 elearning. Alternatively, an elearning voucher may be provided to you by an Instructor, your workplace or course organiser/administrator. Every elearning enrolment includes a hardcopy MHFA manual. Once enrolled, participants can also access and view an online manual via their dashboard when logged in to their account. It is a pre-requisite to complete the eLearning before participating in the half-day face-to-face session with an accredited Instructor. Attend Instructor-led course component 2. You should attend this no later than 3 months after completion of the eLearning component. This session allows participants the opportunity to revise and consolidate knowledge in a group environment, while applying their skills to specific scenarios. If you would like to arrange for an Instructor to deliver the half-day face-to-face session for a workplace or participant group (private course) you can find an accredited Instructor here. Please be advised, our Instructors work independently and therefore have the autonomy and flexibility to set their own fees. They can provide a quote and advise about their booking and payment processes. Instructors are able to purchase elearning vouchers for course component 1 and distribute these to participants which we would recommend. Complete an online assessment to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider). Accredited MHFAiders receive a digital Certificate of Accreditation, which is valid for 3 years, after completing both the eLearning and face-to-face components of the course and successfully passing the online assessment.

Participants who complete both components of a Blended or Blended Online course - eLearning and Instructor-led session(s) are eligible to complete an online assessment in order to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider). Accredited MHFAiders receive a digital Certificate of Accreditation that is valid for 3 years. Participants who do not wish to attempt the online assessment can opt to download a Certificate of Completion. Read more about the online assessment here.

MHFA offers courses in a Blended format, comprised of two components, eLearning, the first component, plus a follow-up Instructor-led second component which may be either: A half day face-to-face session of 4-hours (Blended Face-to-Face Courses) OR 2 sessions of 2.5 hours offered via video conferencing technology (Blended Online Courses) The eLearning component is self-paced and takes about 6-8 hours to complete. This eLearning component teaches participants about mental health problems, mental health crises and skills to offer initial help to an adult developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The follow-on Instructor-led session allows participants the opportunity to revise and consolidate knowledge in a group environment, while applying their skills to specific scenarios. After completing both course components, participants are eligible to complete an online assessment in order to receive a Certificate of Accreditation which is valid for 3 years. An Accredited Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider) is eligible to be appointed as a Mental Health First Aid Officer.

First Step - Register 1. Click this link https://mhfa.com.au/user/register to go the the Mental Health First Aid website. 2. Fill in your personal details. 3. Click 'Create new account'. Second Step - Login 1. You should receive an email from Mental Health First Aid entitled 'Account details for (your email) at Mental Health First Aid'. If not, please check your junk/spam folder. 2. Select the top link in the email to validate your email address. This link can only be used once to log in and set your password. 3. Select the 'Log in' button then set your password. Final Step - Apply 1. Go to Enrol in elearning and select the course you wish to enrol in by selecting 'Apply' at the bottom of the page. 2. Enter your voucher code then select 'Submit'. 3. You will be automatically taken to the first step which is Pre-Quiz. Once you have completed the Pre-Quiz, you will be able to access the first module of your eLearning. If you have any issues using your voucher code and enrolling in elearning please contact us at mhfa@mhfa.com.au or 03 9079 0200. An online MHFA manual is provided for all eLearning. Course participants can access this at any time via their dashboard when logged in to their MHFA accounts under My MHFA manuals. Please note, this is free to use online but not available to copy, share or download and we do not have the option to send a PDF version.

Please see our basic technological requirements for accessing MHFA eLearning courses and contact your IT administrator if you require further assistance. If you are still experiencing technical problems please contact mhfa@mhfa.com.au. Generally, we will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays).

We recommend completing course component 1 and 2 within a 3-month period. MHFA offers courses in a Blended format, comprised of two components, eLearning, the first component, plus a follow-up Instructor-led second component which may be either: A half day face-to-face session of 4-hours (Blended Face-to-Face Courses) OR 2 sessions of 2.5 hours offered via video conferencing technology (Blended Online Courses)* *Course component 2 of the Blended Youth MHFA course consists of a 1-day face to face or 3 x 2.5 hour sessions If you purchase or are provided with a voucher code to enrol in course component 1 elearning, the voucher will expire 12 months from the purchase date.

Course component 1 elearning is self-paced and will generally take 6-8+ hours to complete. We therefore recommend completing it over a number of sessions. Leaving the course open in your browser window for long periods can create issues saving your progress so always close the window when taking a break.

Most eLearning courses consist of 5 modules, which must be completed in order, while some courses include an additional module or modules.

No. An online MHFA manual is provided for all eLearning. Participants have access to manuals online via the eLearning component from time of purchase. Course participants can access this at any time via their dashboard when logged in to their MHFA accounts under My MHFA manuals. Please note, this is free to use online but not available to copy, share or download and we do not have the option to send a PDF version.

The MHFA Manual is a lengthy document and can sometimes take several minutes to load/scale within your browser. A loading icon may remain on your screen for several minutes while the browser loads/scales the document. This time can vary depending on your device's performance, and the browser you are using. The manual may also partially load and appear blurry until it completes the loading/scaling process. If using an unsupported or out-of-date browser, the Manual may load in a font that is difficult to read. We have found users have the optimal loading/viewing experience by using the latest version of Google Chrome: https://www.google.com/chrome/ If you are experiencing issues loading the Manual, please ensure your browser is supported and up-to-date, and allow the Manual several minutes to load. If you are finding the manual blurry to read we recommend that you use the inbuilt zoom function (see image below) rather than the Browser zoom. The Manual is available online via your MHFA Dashboard only - it is not available for download

First Step - Register 1. Click this link https://mhfa.com.au/user/register to go the the Mental Health First Aid website. 2. Fill in your personal details. 3. Click 'Create new account'. Second Step - Login 1. You should receive an email from Mental Health First Aid entitled 'Account details for (your email) at Mental Health First Aid'. If not, please check your junk/spam folder. 2. Select the top link in the email to validate your email address. This link can only be used once to log in and set your password. 3. Select the 'Log in' button then set your password. Final Step - Apply 1. Go to Enrol in elearning and select the course you wish to enrol in by selecting 'Apply' at the bottom of the page. 2. If you have a voucher enter this now and select 'Submit', otherwise select 'I do not have a voucher code'. 3. Enter your billing and shipping information then proceed to make payment. Please allow up to 10 working days to receive your hard copy manual in the post. An online MHFA manual is provided for all eLearning. Course participants can access this at any time via their dashboard when logged in to their MHFA accounts under My MHFA manuals. Please note, this is free to use online but not available to copy, share or download and we do not have the option to send a PDF version.

An MHFAider Accreditation demonstrates an individual has the skills and knowledge to provide Mental Health First Aid. When you complete an MHFA Course, you have the opportunity to complete an online Accreditation Assessment. If you pass the Assessment, you will become an Accredited MHFAider and be issued a digital Certificate of Accreditation by MHFA Australia, valid for 3 years. There is no additional fee to sit the online Accreditation Assessment or receive the digital Certificate.

If you have completed an MHFA Course, you are eligible to complete an assessment, to become an Accredited MHFAider. The assessment is a short, online quiz that includes multiple choice and true/false questions. To complete the assessment, you will need an email address and to provide that email address to the accredited MHFA Instructor who is delivering the course you are attending. The Instructor will then enter your email address and your first and last name in the associated class list on MHFA Australia's database. You can read more about how MHFA will use your email address here. You will be sent a unique link a few days after the course ends. Upon clicking on the link, you will be invited to provide feedback on the MHFA course you completed and then complete the Accreditation Assessment. Once you pass the assessment, you receive a digital Accreditation Certificate. Accreditation is valid for 3 years from the date of your MHFA course, and is renewed by completing a short MHFA Refresher Course. You can complete the accreditation up to 3 years after you complete the MHFA course.

If you have completed an MHFA course and passed the assessment to become an Accredited MHFAider, you will be awarded a digital Certificate of Accreditation. The Certificate of Accreditation can be downloaded from your Dashboard in WIMS. If you have completed an MHFA course, but are unsure how to become an Accredited MHFAider, please see How can I become an Accredited MHFAider?

After successful completion of the eLearning component of an MHFA course, you are eligible to attend Instructor-led course component two which may be either: A half day face-to-face session of 4-hours (Blended Face-to-Face Courses) OR 2 sessions of 2.5 hours offered via video conferencing technology (Blended Online Courses) Once you have completed both component 1 and 2 of the course, you are then eligible to complete a short online Assessment. If you pass the assessment, you will become an Accredited MHFAider for 3 years. Find a public course or book an Instructor To find an upcoming public course go to our our course calendar here. Select the type of course and search by your location (for Instructor-led sessions delivered online you do not need to enter a location). You will need to contact an Instructor directly to book your place in a course. Alternatively, you may seek to book an Instructor for a group of participants. You can find a local Instructor here.

You can demonstrate that you have mental health first aid knowledge and skills. You are eligible to be appointed as a Mental Health First Aid Officer in your workplace. You will receive a reminder in 3 years’ time when you are due to complete an MHFA Refresher Course.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses have not been mapped in Training.gov.au and course participants do not receive an accredited statement of attainment. MHFA International has an ongoing research program to develop and maintain MHFA Guidelines for Australia (and for some of the guidelines - English speaking countries). To be an 'Accredited' MHFAider means a MHFA course participant who passes the assessment is accredited against these guidelines. It is similar to the way National First Aid Standards (which are used to develop and update Red Cross, St John Ambulance, etc. First Aid courses) are held by the Australian Resuscitation Council. Not all training programs belong to the Vocational Education and Training (VET) scheme and MHFA Australia has chosen not to be part of it to date. The setting up of VET was to ensure that training programs reach at least an acceptable level of rigour however MHFA Australia already has a level of academic research and rigour that is greater than is required by VET. Also, to maintain this academic rigour, we believe it is important to restrict who can train MHFA Instructors, rather than allow any Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to do this.

Workplaces can apply online any time throughout the year. Recognition is available from the beginning of each quarter as follows: Q1 – applications received between September to November, with recognition from 1 January Q2 – applications received between December to February, with recognition from 1 April Q3 – applications received between March to May, with recognition from 1 July Q4 – applications received between June to August, with recognition from 1 Oct

There is no cost involved with applying for the MHFA Workplace Recognition Program.

The Workplace Recognition Program encourages Australian workplaces to be aspirational in creating and implementing change, allowing for progression to build mentally healthy workplaces and time to embed Mental Health First Aid training in their culture. The benefits for organisations include: Recognition of the commitment and achievement in creating a mentally healthy workplace Workplaces have reported improved reputation and culture The Workplace Recognition Program contributes to employees valuing the role and skills of Mental Health First Aiders® in their workplace Workplaces are seen as an employer of choice.

he Mental Health First Aid® Australia Workplace Recognition Program celebrates organisations who invest in developing mental health first aid skills in their people and acknowledges their achievement and commitment to embedding MHFA™ training into their organisation’s culture. Featuring 3 tiers of recognition - Skilled, Advanced and Master, the program recognises actions like: senior leadership support policies and processes that promote mental health first aid in the workplace supporting Mental Health First Aid Officers The Workplace Recognition Program allows for progression, acknowledging that it takes time and a sustained effort to embed Mental Health First Aid training into an organisation and successfully achieve a mentally healthier workplace where employees feel supported and encouraged to talk openly about mental health.

Workplaces can join the Mental Health First Aid Australia Workplace Recognition Program by applying to become a Skilled Workplace. The criteria to becoming a Skilled Workplace involves two parts: Having the minimum percentage of staff trained in Mental Health First Aid within the last three years, according to the size of their workplace and Implementing 8 actions in the workplace to support mental health first aid (with evidence). Please click this link to apply. To progress to the next tier and be recognised as an Advanced Workplace, workplaces will need to: Have been a Skilled Workplace for at least 2 years Have the minimum percentage of staff trained in Mental Health First Aid within the last three years, according to the size of their workplace and Implement 12 actions in the workplace to support mental health first aid (with evidence). To progress to the next tier and be recognised as a Master Workplace, workplaces will need to: Have been a Skilled Workplace for at least 2 years Have the minimum percentage of staff trained in Mental Health First Aid within the last three years, according to the size of their workplace and Implement 15 actions in the workplace to support mental health first aid (with evidence). Workplaces who choose to progress to becoming an Advanced and Master workplace will need to obtain the application link by contacting workplaces@mhfa.com.au. The time requirement associated with each tier allows for actions to be embedded into workplace culture and provides workplaces the time to evolve their MHFA™ program as they progress through the tiers.

The Mental Health First Aid Workplace Recognition Program has three tiers: Skilled Workplace Advanced Workplace Master Workplace At each level, workplaces are assessed based on the percentage of staff trained within the last three years, the successful implementation of actions completed, and the duration at each tier of the recognition program. To calculate the number of staff trained in Mental Health First Aid, count the number of staff who have completed MHFA training in the last three years. This calculation should include MHFAiders® (staff who have completed the training) and Accredited MHFAiders® (staff who have completed both the training and the short Accreditation assessment that follows the course). To calculate the number of staff, please convert any part-time staff to one full-time equivalent (1 staff member = 1 FTE). FTE represents the number of working hours that one full-time employee completes during a fixed time period. For example, if two employees work 0.5 FTE (2.5 days per week), that equates to 1 x FTE. Please note, casual staff are not included in the FTE calculation for the purposes of this program. The required percentage of staff trained in Mental Health First Aid according to the size of the organisation: Small Workplace5–50 staff 20% of staff trained Medium Workplace51–500 staff 10% of staff trained Large Workplace501–1,500 staff 5% of staff trained Very Large Workplace1,501 and over 3% of staff trained

The Mental Health First Aid Australia Workplace Recognition Program proudly recognises and promotes workplaces’ achievements and they will receive: An electronic Certificate of Recognition Digital badges that can be used on their email signatures and website Recognition of their company logo featured on the Mental Health First Aid Australia website Recognition through social media posts Access to Mental Health First Aid Workplace webinars The Workplace Recognition Program Promotional Guide ( with information and resources to promote their status in the program to their employees and the wider community) Opportunities to collaborate with Mental Health First Aid Australia on projects that promote mentally healthy workplaces and Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace, such as webinars and other speaking opportunities, case studies, conferences, videos, etc.

There are no expiry dates on Certificates of Recognition and it is the choice of the workplace if they wish to progress to become an Advanced or Master workplace.