MHFA Essentials
For Everyone. And Every One.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to support a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being, a mental health or substance use crisis until professional help is available.
The practical skills of MHFA help you develop the confidence and peace of mind knowing you can support those around you, and your ability to self-care and prioritize your well-being while supporting others.
Implemented in 35 nations worldwide and with over 8 million people trained, MHFA is a global movement.
MHFA Essentials is a suite of courses, focused on core knowledge and practical skills. The courses do not lead to Certification. Within the Essentials suite is a streamlined one-day course as well as adaptations to support unique populations and specific roles, including:
Designed to be accessible and applicable across many settings, Essentials offers a strong foundation in MHFA principles without formal assessment or certification—making it an ideal option for individuals, teams, or communities seeking meaningful, time-efficient training.
Through the course, participants will:
Increase Mental Health Awareness
Understand stigma, diagnostic labelling, and barriers to helping
Learn how to use the ALGES framework to support
Learn effective communication techniques
Learn reflective Self-Awareness
Review mental health support resource mapping
Course Logistics
- Delivery Formats: The course is fully facilitated, with virtual and in-person options
- Course Length: 6 Hours of instruction
Group training options
For groups of 8 or more interested in a private course, contact our Engagement team.
Course Overview
1
Welcome and Introductions:
Participants set group expectations and create a safe, respectful space for learning together.
2
Goals of Mental Health First Aid:
This section outlines the course objectives and clarifies the role and responsibilities of a Mental Health First Aider.
3
What is Mental Health:
Participants explore definitions of mental health, the impact of stigma, and learn to recognize mental health on a continuum.
4
5
Mental Health First Aid for Declining Mental Health:
Using real-life scenarios, participants practice applying ALGES to support people experiencing early signs of mental health decline.
6
Self-Care for Mental Health First Aiders:
This module emphasizes the importance of caring for your own mental health and building sustainable, personalized self-care routines.
7
MHFA for Crisis Situations:
Participants learn to recognize and respond to mental health crises, including suicide risk and psychosis, using the ALGES approach.
8
Wrap-up and Closing:
The course ends with a reflection on key takeaways, commitment to self-care, and steps for continued learning and support.
Learn how to use ALGES
MHFA actions ALGES provide a framework for supporting someone in distress: first approach them, assess for any crisis, and offer immediate help if needed.
Then, listen without judgment, give reassurance and information, and encourage both professional help and other supports like family, friends, or self-care strategies. Finally, the first aider must also practice self-care to manage the emotional impact of providing help.
- Approach the person, assess, and assist with any crisis
- Listen and communicate non-judgmentally
- Give reassurance and information
- Encourage the person to reach out to supports
- Self-care for the first aider
MHFA Essentials Adaptations
The Essentials is available in adaptations that address the specific needs of unique groups, including Supporting Youth, Supporting Older Adults, Veteran Community, and Police. Each version maintains the same core framework while tailoring examples, language, and context to ensure the training is meaningful and relatable for the audience it serves.
Choosing the course that best suits your needs
| Certification | Essentials | |
|---|---|---|
| Increase Mental Health Awareness | ||
| Define Mental Health and recognize indicators of mental health across the continuum. | ||
| Distinguish between mental: health, illness, health conditions. | ||
| Understand factors influencing mental health and mental health disorders in Canada. | ||
| Explain the Two Continua Model of mental health. | ||
| Improve Confidence to Help | ||
| Apply the ALGES framework in scenarios of declining mental health and crisis. | ||
| Develop effective interaction skills, including effective listening, non-judgmental communication skills, and application of reassurance and sharing of information. | ||
| Explain recovery-oriented approaches to providing support. | ||
| Identify barriers to MHFA, and questions to initiate supportive conversations. | ||
| Develop a list of resources and supports. | ||
| Decrease Mental Health Stigma | ||
| Recognize stigmatizing language and practice respectful alternatives. | ||
| Reflect on personal attitudes and biases that contribute to stigma. | ||
| Understand risks and limitations associated with diagnostic labeling. | ||
| Explain stigma, including self, public, and structural, and strategies to reduce. | ||
| Enhance Mental Health | ||
| Identify personal self-care strategies using the Three Pillars of Self-Care | ||
| Recognize when self-care is needed and how to integrate it into daily life, and commit to actions to maintain personal well-being |
Note: Because Community-Based programs are developed through close community consultation and cultural alignment, they do not follow the same structure as MHFA Essentials or Certification courses. As such, they are not included in the comparison table. For more information about these offerings or how to access them, visit our Community-Based Mental Health Training page.
Note: Because Community-Based programs are developed through close community consultation and cultural alignment, they do not follow the same structure as MHFA Essentials or Certification courses. As such, they are not included in the comparison table. For more information about these offerings or how to access them, visit our Community-Based Mental Health Training page.
Mental Health First Aid Training Options
When training reflects real experiences from a community, the impact becomes even more meaningful. In addition to MHFA Essentials, we offer a suite of tailored MHFA courses, including MHFA Certification and MHFA Community.
An innovative and leading-edge program in the sector, Mental Health First Aid now offers official certification.
This in-depth course, upon completion and assessment, provides participants:
- A nationally recognized MHFA Certification that is valid for 3 years.
- Increase Mental Health Awareness
- Understand stigma, diagnostic labelling, and barriers to helping
- Learn effective communication techniques
Community-Based MHFA courses are culturally grounded and co-developed with the communities they serve. They are delivered with local knowledge and community support to ensure safe, relevant, and trusted learning experiences. These programs are designed to reflect the lived realities, values, and ways of knowing of the local communities, including:
- MHFA First Nations
- MHFA Inuit
- MHFA Northern Peoples
Frequently Asked Questions
While the base information for Essentials and Certification is similar, MHFA Certification adds additional coverage for mental health disorders and their prevalence, as well as more scenario-based training exercises and discussions around key concepts. The topics covered in Community-Based courses are built in the unique context of the community it serves - as a result, the topics covered can be different than the Essentials and Certification options.
Certification is only available through the two-day MHFA Certification course. If you have taken previous offered MHFA Standard or Basic courses within the last 24 months, you have the opportunity to upskill through MHFA Bridge to Certification .
Our facilitator network will stop delivering MHFA Basic and MHFA Standard as of March 31st, 2026.
Certification is only available through the two-day MHFA certification course at this time. If both are required, we recommend taking the Certification course in addition to the adaptation you are interested in.
Become a Certified MHFA Facilitator
The Facilitator Certification Training is designed for individuals who wish to deliver the MHFA course in their communities, workplaces, or organizations. As a Certified MHFA facilitator, you will join the Opening Minds Facilitator Community that is over 2000 people strong across Canada.
Mental Health First Aid Case Studies
Learn more about how MHFA is helping to transform mental wellness in organizations across Canada.
