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.