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Mental Health First Aid - Veteran Community

Studies of the mental health of Canadian Veterans show that, although the majority were doing well, a number suffer from mental health problems that affect their functioning, wellbeing, and utilization of health and rehabilitation services.

The MHFA Veteran Community course was developed through: funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs; input from a number of stakeholders including veterans, veterans organizations and Veterans Affairs Canada; and, pilot testing. Its goal is to improve our collective capacity to recognize and assist with addictions, as well as mental health problems and illnesses, by supporting Veterans in the application of evidence-based practices in service delivery, the workplace and personal interactions.

MHFA for the Veteran Community is tailored to address the needs of Veterans and the people who care for, and about, them. Participants will vary, but all will have some connection to the Veteran community, such as: Veterans themselves, former RCMP members, family members, friends, relatives, health professionals, providers of Veteran services, volunteers and other caring community members.

The course is being funded by Veterans Affairs Canada and is offered at no cost to members of the Veteran community.

Click to read “This Remembrance Week, let’s support our veterans battling PTSD” published on November 8th, 2018 in the Ottawa Citizen.

Course model

In the MHFA course, you will gain a solid understanding of the 5 basic actions of ALGEE:

Assess the risk of suicide and/or harm
Listen non-judgmentally
Give reassurance
Encourage professional support
Encourage other supports

ALGEE is the framework for having a confident conversation about mental health with family, friends, colleagues, and strangers.

Key outcomes

Increase the skills and confidence to engage in effective conversations about mental health in the Veteran community
Promote greater recognition of the most common mental health problems and illnesses
Decrease stigma and discrimination around mental health problems and illnesses
Increase confidence, and willingness, to provide help to others
Improve mental health of the MHFA participant her/himself

Crisis first aid skills learned

Substance overdose
Suicidal behaviour
Panic attack
Acute stress reaction
Psychotic episode

Course sections

1. Mental Health and Stigma

What is Mental Health First Aid?
Common mental health problems
Five basic actions of mental health first aid
Stigma and discrimination

2. Mood-related disorders

What is a mood-related disorder?
Types of mood-related disorders
Signs and symptoms
Risk factors
Substance use and mood disorders
Suicide in Canada
MHFA for mood-related problems
Reasons for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)
MHFA for non-suicidal self-injury
Treatment and resources

3. Anxiety and trauma-related disorders

What are anxiety and trauma related disorders?
Types of anxiety and trauma related disorders
Signs and symptoms
Risk factors
Substance use and anxiety related disorders
MHFA for anxiety and trauma related problems
Crisis first aid for panic attacks
Crisis first aid for acute stress reactions
Treatment and resources

4. Psychotic disorders

What is a psychotic disorder?
Types of psychotic disorders
Signs and symptoms
Risk factors
Substance use and psychotic disorders
MHFA for anxiety problems
Crisis first aid for psychotic episodes

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