Mental Health First Aid Standard Course

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an international certificate course originally developed by the ORYGEN Centre of the University of Melbourne in 2001. In this 12-hour certificate course, participants learn how to provide initial help to people with developing mental health problems before professional treatment can be obtained.

On completion of the course, participants will receive a Mental Health First Aid certificate issued by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong is the organisation authorised by the ORYGEN Research Centre of the University of Melbourne to issue the Mental Health First Aid certificate in Hong Kong.

Since 2008, the course has been launched in HKBU. Up to now (as of June 2025), over 4,000 students and staff members have been trained.

Content

• Symptoms, causes and treatment: depression, anxiety disorder, psychosis and substance use disorder
• Possible crisis situations arising from these mental health problems
• Five first-aid actions and skills
• Resources available in HKBU & the community for professional help and self-help

Mode of Teaching

MHFA (Face-to-face)

The course is offered in either two whole-day or four half-day modes (12 hrs), with lectures, group discussion and role-play delivered in a classroom setting.

MHFA (Online)

The course is offered in two components: a 7-hour eLearning and two 2.5-hour instructor-led sessions, which are to be delivered via video conferencing.

Terms and conditions

1. Upon successful enrollment of the Mental Health First Aid Standard Course (Online)/ (Face-to-Face) (“the course”), you shall agree to:

• The Privacy Policy Statement and Personal Information Collection Statement of Hong Kong Baptist University;
• The transfer of your personal data to the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong for activating your eLearning account for the course (Online) and/or issuing your certificate upon course completion;
• Complete the course as scheduled: 
  • For Online course: both the eLearning and the two video-conferencing sessions; or
  • For Face-to-Face course: the 12 hours classroom learning

If you wish to withdraw from the course, please submit your application via email to cdc@hkbu.edu.hk at least 10 days before the commencement of the first session.

2. The Counselling and Development Centre (“CDC”) reserves the right to charge you HK$1,000 for the training fees incurred if:

• You fail to complete the full course; and
• You do not apply for course withdrawal at least 10 days before the commencement of the first session.

3. CDC is committed to supporting students with special educational needs to join different co-curricular activities. If you require any special accommodations during the course:

• Please notify us via email to cdc@hkbu.edu.hk after registration/confirmation of your participation and before the commencement of the course, specifying the special accommodation needed as well as providing documentary evidence, such as medical proof.