- Tier: Tier 1: Positive mental health promotion
- Category of intervention: Mental health literacy
- Strength of evidence: Level 4: Established evidence for program (supported by quality research evidence)
- Geographic location: Statewide
Program description
Life Saving Victoria (LSV) is a provider of Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Youth MHFA is for adults who work, live with or care for adolescents.
In this program, upper primary and secondary school staff will learn how to assist students aged 12–18 years who are developing a mental health problem, experiencing worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The program focuses on improved mental health literacy and early intervention.
This course aims to help participants better recognise changes in students’ thinking, feelings, or behaviour that may indicate presence of a mental health problem. Topics covered include:
- depression
- anxiety
- panic attacks
- eating disorders
- suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
Intended outcomes
- Reduced stigmatising attitudes
- Increased knowledge of mental health problems
- Increased confidence to respond to student mental health problems
Program details
| Target audience |
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| Program provider | Life Saving Victoria |
| Delivery mode |
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Implementation considerations
- Target population: Upper primary and secondary school staff who support secondary school students aged 12–18 years.
- Program adaptability: The program is suitable for diverse cohorts including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- asylum seeker and refugee students
- LGBTIQA+ students
- students with a disability.
- Staffing: Backfilling may be required depending on what course type is chosen or being delivered.
- Training requirements: The course takes about 14 hours with allocations split over presentation time and eLearning pre-requisites depending on the delivery mode chosen. Refreshers involve 4–5 hours of training time. Staff will need access to computers to complete eLearning or participate in video conferencing. Where classroom delivery is applicable schools will be responsible for ensuring a suitable training venue including a training room, whiteboard, projector screen, tables and chairs. Courses can also be hosted at the LSV State Centre in Port Melbourne.
- Factors to consider: For a private course there is a minimum of 6 participants required due to group scenario/exercise components. Alternatively, participants can join a public course run by LSV.
- Australian context: Youth MHFA was developed in Australia by MHFA Australia. LSV is a provider of this program.
Cost
Minimum cost
$2,000+
Detailed cost
Youth MHFA is costed at $249 per person (including GST), or $295 per person (including GST) for blended/online public delivery. To refresh Youth MHFA certification costs $170 per person (including GST).
Where a course is booked as privately or in-house, a minimum charge of 12 candidates will apply.
Additional costs may be included for travel. Accommodation costs are $140 (including GST) per night and the subsequent meal allowance is $50 (including GST).
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