Mental health first aid

Introduction

Mental health first aid is a specific training programme developed in Australia by Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm in 2000, after having identified that there were no training programmes similar to traditional first aid that considered an individual’s mental health (Mental Health First Aid Australia, 2025). The courses are now delivered globally, with materials tailored to multiple audiences, including: 

• universities
• police
• social care workers
• general public 

The courses aim to support all people, regardless of age, socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity. 

The training takes a psychoeducational approach and is designed to be practical and applicable to a multitude of settings (Mental Health First Aid Australia, 2025). It can be delivered face to face, via workbook or online. 

Nurses will encounter multiple instances throughout their career where they must support people during a mental health crisis or particularly difficult times in their lives. This support is not limited to patients, and