Mental Health First Aid Course To Be Offered Free Of Charge
Free first aid courses have been announced by Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela and Local Government Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli on Thursday 15th May.
“The ministry for health together with the local councils will be offering training on mental health in our community. This is extremely important so that we can intervene at an early stage,” said Minister Abela. “The results for people who are facing mental health challenges will be much improved.”
“Investing in each other’s mental health” is the theme for this project according to the Ministry for Health. It includes a collaboration between the government and the Richmond Foundation, which will see free first aid courses provided for the protection of mental health in our community. The ministry stated that one in four people in Malta suffer from a mental health condition at some point in their lives and this course is essential to better support our community.
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Stigma is still a major barrier to effectively respond to mental health issues. While people are often willing to seek help for physical problems, mental health challenges are perceived differently.
As with traditional first aid courses, this initiative is designed to provide initial support to those experiencing mental health challenges. This course is not intended to replace support groups or therapy, it is meant to be an educational program and to raise awareness.
Will you be attending the course?
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