What is First Aid for Mental Health?

First Aid for Mental Health is a growing topic, and a valuable asset as part of a Mental Health at Work strategy.

But what is it? How do you administer first aid for mental health?

You almost certainly know what First Aid is. You may have a First Aid at Work qualification. This enables you to attend to a physical injury, administer first aid with a view to keeping the person well and, where necessary, alive until emergency services can attend if required. 

As a First Aider, you are not required, expected or even allowed to undertake anything beyond basic first aid, You are not a doctor, your job is only to keep the person safe until the trained medical professionals arive.

First Aid for Mental Health is very similar. 

As a First Aider for Mental Health, your role is to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill-health, offer support, to listen, to demonstrate empathy and non-judgement, and to signpost to professional help. That is it. You are not expected or trained to diagnose, to offer therapy or counselling, or to provide a regular shoulder to cry on. 

As a First Aider for Mental Health, you will be the go-to person (or one of them in a large organisation) for people to turn to for support. If someone is concerned about a coworker, if management are concerned about a member of staff, a First Aider for Mental Health may be asked to have a conversation with them to help them find the support they need. You may spot the signs yourself, and know that you need to have a conversation.

As part of your First Aid for Mental Health training, you will learn some of the listening and questioning skills needed to empower you to have these sometimes difficult conversations.

Becoming a First Aider for Mental Health is a big undertaking, but a valuable and worthwhile role. A First Aider for Mental Health has the chance to make a real difference to the lives of individuals, and to help reduce the stigma of mental health that makes having these conversations sometimes so difficult.

Lotus Strength Consulting now offers accredited, regulated training for First Aid for Mental Health. We offer 

• FAA Level 1 Award in Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health, to promote awareness of mental health first aid within your staff, and help reduce stigma and promote open conversation where needed
• FAA Level 2 Award in First Aid for Mental Health - this equips your staff to be recognised First Aiders for Mental Health
• FAA Level 3 Award in Supervising First Aid for Mental Health - a valuable course for managers to enable them to support the First Aiders for Mental Health, gain an understanding of the issues that might be affecting their staff, work to create a positive culture for mental health within the organisation and create effective action plans for First Aid for Mental Health

We can create bespoke packages to include these qualifications and powerful stress awareness and managment training to help your staff, First Aiders for mental health and managers are able to manage their own stress response within the workplace.

Find out more here, or get in touch to discuss your company’s First Aid for Mental Health needs