What is a MHFA Refresher Course?
The aim of a Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course is to update and build upon skills learned in the initial 12 or 14-hour mental health first aid course. Refresher courses contain new films and additional materials. The courses are delivered in a 4-hour face-to-face session or 5 hours online in one or two sessions.
Mental Health First Aid Australia currently offers the following Refresher Courses:
Face-to-face
· 4-hour Standard Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course
· 4-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course
· 4-hour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course
Online
· 5-hour Standard Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course
· 5-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course
MHFAiders need to do the same type of Refresher Course as their original 12-14 hour MHFA course to renew their accreditation. For example, if you did the Standard MHFA course, you would do the Standard Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course. Individuals holding the Older Person MHFAider accreditation can complete the Standard Mental Health First Aid Refresher Course to maintain their accreditation until a specific Older Person Refresher Course is developed and released.
Course participants who completed a 12 or 14 hour course and completed the online assessment to become an accredited MHFAider, are able to extend their accreditation by a further 3 years by attending a Refresher Course.
When am I due for a refresher?
Refresher courses need to be completed no later than three years after a MHFAider's original course date (i.e. by the the MHFAider accreditation expiry date).
You are eligible for a Refresher course if you have accredited as an MHFAider within the last three years. Upon successful completion of a Refresher Course and completion of another assessment, accreditation will be extended for a further single 3 year period. After this time (6 years from initial full 12 or 14-hour course completion), a further full course will need to be undertaken to maintain accreditation thereafter.
How will I know when I'm due for a refresher?
Accredited MHFAiders will be emailed when they are due to complete their refresher training. 6 months before their accreditation expires, they will receive a reminder and a second reminder will be sent 3-months later.
What if I hold more than one type of first aider accreditation?
If you have completed more than one MHFA course and proceeded to complete accreditation for each of these (e.g., Standard MHFA and Youth MHFA), you will have a separate accreditation for each course. Therefore, you will need to complete a Refresher Course for each of these. Each accreditation will have a separate expiry date. Accreditation expiry dates can be checked by course participants at any time by logging into the MHFA website www.mhfa.com.au
Additional Information
Additional information on Refresher Courses can be found on our website here: https://mhfa.com.au/refresher-courses