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Courses and Workshops

Mental health first aid (blended learning)

This blended online MHFA course has been adapted from the standard Mental health first aid course for adults. Developed in response to COVID-19.

Physiotherapists are involved in the care of people from all walks of life. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some stage in their life plus Comorbid mental health problems are common amongst people who access physiotherapy services including but not limited to those experiencing chronic pain, chronic physical illness, multiple pain areas or following a traumatic event. In Australia, approximately one in five adults will experience mental illness in any given year and physiotherapists and other health care professionals can expect to have close contact with someone experiencing a mental illness or a mental health problem.

Lack of knowledge and stigmatising attitudes about mental illness may prevent people from seeking help or providing appropriate support because they do not know how. Stigmatised attitudes and lack of knowledge about mental health conditions are not limited to the general public and can impact on healthcare workers interactions with patients. Stigmatising attitudes can reinforce disempowerment, loss of self-belief and a sense of shame in the person with comorbid mental health problems. It has been suggested that training of healthcare workers in mental health literacy is essential to ensure appropriate support and referrals are made for people with mental illness. This MHFA course will improve mental health literacy of physiotherapists.


It has been suggested that training of healthcare workers in mental health literacy is essential to ensure appropriate support and referrals are made for people with mental illness. This MHFA course will improve mental health literacy of physiotherapists.

This blended learning course consists of three components:

  • 7hrs of self-directed online learning. This is to be completed prior to attendance at:
  • Two virtual (Zoom) classroom sessions, both of which are 2.5hrs in length. 8th February and 15th February

Please note:

  • Two weeks prior to the first virtual classroom session, you will be sent a link to the 7hrs of self-directed learning. Virtual classroom login instructions including a Zoom link will be sent to registrants on the day of each of the virtual classroom sessions.
  • This is an interactive course which requires your participation. Therefore during the Zoom sessions you need to be in a suitable setting with your video and audio turned on.
  • It has been noted through previous iterations that the online content and online manual accessible from the MHFA website does not work effectively on iPads and other handheld devices. It is recommended that you use a desktop or laptop to complete this component of the course.

Learning outcomes

  • Identify Mental illness, risk factors, prevalence and impact, appropriate interventions and recovery
  • Explain the role of mental health first aid and the MHFA action plan
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for depression
  • Apply MHFA action plan for depression
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for anxiety problems
  • Apply MHFA action plan for anxiety problems
  • Identify, discuss and recognise and symptoms, interventions for psychosis
  • Apply MHFA action plan for psychosis
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for substance use problems

Presenters

Joanne Connaughton


Associate Professor Jo Connaughton is the previous Chair of the Australian Physiotherapy Mental Health Special Interest Group and ex-Secretary of the International Organisation of Physiotherapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). In July 2018 Jo Connaughton stepped down from Dean, School of Physiotherapy at University of Notre Dame Australia following a physiotherapy career spanning over 40 years including. In her 30 years of clinical work Jo practiced in almost all aspects of physiotherapy in metropolitan and regional WA, working with people from across the lifespan in both public and private settings including acute mental health. As Discipline Leader in an acute mental health facility Jo worked predominately with people aged between 18 and 65, however, also worked with older adults and supervised physiotherapists working in the psychogeriatric units. Jo joined the University in 2007 and in semi-retirement now teaches undergraduate students pathophysiology, presentation and treatment of mental health conditions. She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aid instructor and advocates for this to be included in undergraduate degrees. Jo's research in the mental health field includes exploring attitudes of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students towards mental health and psychiatry and more recently how these are influenced by inclusion of Mental Health First Aid training in undergraduate programs. Jo has also researched headaches experienced by people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and has presented her research findings at National and International Conferences.

Susan Edgar


Susan Edgar has been involved in the education and training of healthcare students and clinicians for over 20 years. Research areas include mental health literacy, student motivation and engagement and health workforce retention and job satisfaction. In 2016 Susan won a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in the Australian Awards for University Teaching, for implementing and promoting life-long wellness and self-management strategies to enhance the mental health, confidence and emotional wellbeing of physiotherapy students on clinical placement. She continues to deliver Mental Health First Aid Training to physiotherapists across Australia and has recently finished co-writing the Level 1 Mental Health course for physiotherapists. In May 2021, she commenced as Program Coordinator for ECU's Student and Staff Mental Health Strategy, coordinating a range of actions supporting student and staff mental health and wellbeing. She also volunteers weekly as a crisis supporter for Lifeline WA

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Courses and Workshops
08
Wed 08 - Wed 15
February
07:00PM - 09:30PM AEDT

Virtual Classroom View map
Price: Non Member: $430.00
APA Member: $320.00
Mental Health Group: $265.00
Registration closing date: 29 Jan 2023 Event status: Closed CPD hours: 12.00 * Early bird prices close 4 weeks prior to the course start date
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At a glance
Price: Non Member: $430.00
APA Member: $320.00
Mental Health Group: $265.00
Registration closing date: 29 Jan 2023 Event status: Closed CPD hours: 12.00 * Early bird prices close 4 weeks prior to the course start date
Your registration status:
Presenters

Joanne Connaughton


Associate Professor Jo Connaughton is the previous Chair of the Australian Physiotherapy Mental Health Special Interest Group and ex-Secretary of the International Organisation of Physiotherapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). In July 2018 Jo Connaughton stepped down from Dean, School of Physiotherapy at University of Notre Dame Australia following a physiotherapy career spanning over 40 years including. In her 30 years of clinical work Jo practiced in almost all aspects of physiotherapy in metropolitan and regional WA, working with people from across the lifespan in both public and private settings including acute mental health. As Discipline Leader in an acute mental health facility Jo worked predominately with people aged between 18 and 65, however, also worked with older adults and supervised physiotherapists working in the psychogeriatric units. Jo joined the University in 2007 and in semi-retirement now teaches undergraduate students pathophysiology, presentation and treatment of mental health conditions. She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aid instructor and advocates for this to be included in undergraduate degrees. Jo's research in the mental health field includes exploring attitudes of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students towards mental health and psychiatry and more recently how these are influenced by inclusion of Mental Health First Aid training in undergraduate programs. Jo has also researched headaches experienced by people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and has presented her research findings at National and International Conferences.


Susan Edgar


Susan Edgar has been involved in the education and training of healthcare students and clinicians for over 20 years. Research areas include mental health literacy, student motivation and engagement and health workforce retention and job satisfaction. In 2016 Susan won a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in the Australian Awards for University Teaching, for implementing and promoting life-long wellness and self-management strategies to enhance the mental health, confidence and emotional wellbeing of physiotherapy students on clinical placement. She continues to deliver Mental Health First Aid Training to physiotherapists across Australia and has recently finished co-writing the Level 1 Mental Health course for physiotherapists. In May 2021, she commenced as Program Coordinator for ECU's Student and Staff Mental Health Strategy, coordinating a range of actions supporting student and staff mental health and wellbeing. She also volunteers weekly as a crisis supporter for Lifeline WA


Learning outcomes
  • Identify Mental illness, risk factors, prevalence and impact, appropriate interventions and recovery
  • Explain the role of mental health first aid and the MHFA action plan
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for depression
  • Apply MHFA action plan for depression
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for anxiety problems
  • Apply MHFA action plan for anxiety problems
  • Identify, discuss and recognise and symptoms, interventions for psychosis
  • Apply MHFA action plan for psychosis
  • Identify, discuss and recognise signs and symptoms, interventions for substance use problems
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