A four-hour program for
ALL Adults.
Psychological First Aid is developed to ensure all people have the level of understanding and knowledge to enable a permanent cultural shift within an organisation or community.
The development was lead by Graham ROPER with assistance from others with the Lived Experience of Mental illness. This includes Family /Whanau members with the lived experience.
Consultation with Clinicians' (including; Doctor's, Psychiatrists, Nurse's, Psychologist's, Counsellor's) Maori and Pacifica, business leaders and many discussions with adults was also undertaken over this period.
Psychological First Aid specifically meets the Governments Wellness program for mental health. Initiatives developed and lead by people with the lived experience of mental health will be part of any development.
Unlike other Mental Health/Psychological First Aid programs there are key points of difference in this process/program/course, which are outlined below.
For example:
Lead by a person with the lived experience of mental illness both from a personal experience and family member perspective.
Lead by a person with experience and qualification's in adult education particularly related to first intervention medical responses'.
Lead by a person with extensive experience as a non-clinical adviser/ influencer to Mental Health Primary and secondary service provision
- Southern District Health Board
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
- Mental Health Commission – New Zealand
- Board member of various NGO providers.
- Chairperson – National Association Mental Health Service Consumer Advisors.
Developed to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Legislatively
- Practicability
- A four hour program (others are 7 or more hours)
- Adults only
- Facilitated course – RPL
- Available to be delivered on site.
- Cost effective – direct course cost is less, loss time in the workplace is halved
Developed to meet the New Zealand context of Mental Health service provision, access and availability.
Significantly influenced by 'Te Whare Tapa Wha'
Tangata Whaiora (Person seeking wellness)
(all other programs are developed utilising Australian context, which is significantly different to New Zealand).- In Australia
- Medi Care, Workers compensation, medical insurance funds Mental health access.
- Majority of Psychiatrists in Australia work in 'private practice' which allows for direct access by someone seeking help.
- Does not use an inclusive model such as te whare tapa whā.
- The opposite occurs in New Zealand ( NZ'ers cannot purchase Medical insurance for early intervention or access treatment except for a small cohort via ACC).
Is developed for ALL Adults/Community/Workplace.
- The facilitated program allows for participants' needs to be meet.
- Managers,/workers, teachers/parent's are encouraged to attend together to allow "the same messages to be heard". This has proven very successful.
Academically reviewed/accepted.
- Acceptance for micro credentials – EduCredits (five)
- Includes quality acceptance.
- All participants' will receive the information of "how to" apply for /gain EduCredits.
The facilitated process ensures, key questions and knowledge requirements are addressed first.
- The facilitator will manage participants' expectation's e.g.
- This is not a counselling session.
- Is not a treatment program.
- The type of delivery utilises a 'facilitated model' rather than a 'scripted model'.
- The take home manual provides ongoing reference material;
- More detailed explanations.
- Help organisations.
Simple tools provided to:
- Assist in reducing.
- Stigma.
- Discrimination.
- Suicide.
- Bullying.
Provide understanding of.
- Normal vs. Abnormal behaviour.
- The facts related to the impact of mental illness.
- Strategies' to maintain wellness.
- A comprehensive 60 page 'First Aid Manual' is provided to every participant.
- Demonstrates grounding techniques.
Tested:
- Over the past 18 months the program has been tested and refined where necessary by:
- Over 1000 participants.
- Some participant's have completed direct comparisons of various MH/PFA programs. Over whelming PFA stands out as the program of program of choice.