The Western Trust is running a free two-day Mental Health First Aid training course in Omagh on 4-5th March 2010.  Several places are still available.  Please contact Sandra Guy, Training Administrator, at the Health Promotion Department on 028 7186 5127 if you are interested in obtaining a place.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a 12-hour intensive course, usually delivered over 2 days. The course provides an overview of common mental health problems, causes, symptoms and treatments, and teaches people how to:

• recognise distress
• recognise the difference between Therapy and First Aid
• be confident in administering help in a First Aid situation
• provide initial help and guide a person towards appropriate support

The aims of Mental Health First Aid are to:

• preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others
• provide help to prevent the mental health problems developing into a more serious state
• promote the recovery of good mental health
• provide comfort to a person experiencing a mental health problem
• reduce stigma and discrimination through education