Licensing Mental Health First Aid
Bring Mental Health First Aid skills to your country.
Become a Licensed Mental Health First Aid Provider
Mental Health First Aid International (MHFA International) is the founding organisation and global authority on Mental Health First Aid. We represent an international network of independent Licensed Providers working together to deliver practical mental health first aid training and education.
The Mental Health First Aid Course curriculum was developed in Australia and has been licensed to a range of non-profit organisations in high income countries globally. The licensing of our program extends importantly into the adaptation of this curriculum by the new licensed provider to ensure the curriculum is culturally appropriate, includes relevant domestic mental health status and information and importantly local contextualisation. The entire process is a lengthy one (18 months to 2.5 years) and organisations interested to license are guided through an application and approval process and subsequent mentoring for the development of their own country MHFA Program.
Organisations that meet our eligibility criteria are usually government agencies, national registered charities or social enterprises. We do not license the MHFA program to individuals.
View the eligibility criteria below.
Single Entity for National Delivery
We want to work with non-profit organisations with national domestic reach and a commitment to reinvesting the financial returns of their courses into supporting marginalised or disadvantaged population groups within the communities they serve. We find that a single entity in a country works best to develop a national MHFA program that benefits everyone. Only organisations in countries without a current licensed provider are eligible to apply for a MHFA Program license.
View our list of current licensed providers.
Commercial multinationals can access our MHFA programs through existing licensed providers. MHFA courses can be delivered by accredited MHFA Instructors and/or multinationals can pursue having key staff train as accredited Instructors to support the internal delivery of courses to employees.
Establishing a MHFA Program
The journey to establish a MHFA Program in a new country is a strategic and considered process. The MHFA Program is currently suitable for high-income countries that have well-established public health systems and resources. New licensed providers generally start with the introduction of the Standard Mental Health First Aid Course for adults in workplaces or community settings.
The process of adaptation of the Australian course curriculum includes tailoring to local languages, health systems and cultures which generally takes at least 12 months. Once the curriculum has been localised, the licensed provider is responsible for training their own MHFA Instructors and delivering courses to their local communities.
Sustainable Business and Funding Model
Prospective licensed providers must have a proven business and funding model that provides the necessary funding to cover up to 12 months of operating costs. This will cover the time needed to tailor, translate and develop teaching materials from our core curriculum as well as piloting MHFA courses that suits the country’s local context and cultural sensitivities.
Organisations must fund and build their own sustainable business model which include curriculum adaptation, course development, program management, community engagement, branding and marketing, website and eLearning development, admin and IT support in addition to ongoing business and staff costs.
Evaluation and Quality Assurance
Prospective licensed providers need to demonstrate a commitment to research and evaluation. Preferably this will include an existing relationship with a University or relevant Government agency that will support the evaluation of MHFA training in the country.
New licensed providers are also responsible for ensuring that their Instructors have the capacity and high-quality training to deliver accredited MHFA courses.
Eligibility Criteria
Organisations interested to license the MHFA Program must meet the
following criteria:
Eligibility criteria
- Be a registered not-for-profit or social enterprise.
- Demonstrate an alignment with the vision, mission and goals of Mental Health First Aid International.
- Have appropriate staff and/or personnel available to successfully tailor, develop and disseminate the Mental Health First Aid Program (e.g. project manager, curriculum developers, content experts, business development, administration, finance and marketing teams) in your country.
- Have sufficient start-up funding and resources to pilot and roll out the MHFA Program nationwide.
- Have a clear funding model in your country that will sustain the MHFA Program long-term.
- Have at least 5 years’ experience training professional Educators/Instructors and the development and delivery of education programs.
- Have at least 5 years’ experience successfully marketing education programs and campaigns to attract and retain target audiences.
- Have existing working relationships with other national mental health support agencies and organisations.
- Demonstrated research and evaluation experience and/or a commitment to evaluate the effectiveness of the MHFA Program in your country.
- Able to provide Organisational annual reports with financial statements for the previous three financial years.
Receiving the Guide
If your organisation meets the above-mentioned criteria and you would like to receive a copy of our Guide to Licensing the Mental Health First Aid Program, please email mhfainternational@mhfa.com.au.
