Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA)

  • What’s it for? SMFHA improves mental health literacy and helps people recognise the signs and symptoms of someone with mental health problems. It helps individuals respond to various mental health crises as well as engage with, support and signpost people to appropriate professional help.
  • Who’s SMFHA for? The Scottish public, employers, managers, HR teams, voluntary sector frontline staff in local authorities, NHS staff, Scottish Prison staff, Jobcentre Plus staff and other interested organisations.
  • How much does SMFHA cost? Costs range from free up to £150 per person per course (it depends on who delivers the course and where).
  • How long does SMFHA take? SMHFA is a 12 hour course which can be delivered in 12 x 1 hour, 6 x 2 hour, 4 x 3 hour or 2 x 6 hour sessions over a period of a month.
  • Where does SMFHA take place? Across Scotland.

Scotland's Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) saves lives and improves lives. The training course is based on work pioneered in Australia.

Following an encouraging Scottish pilot in 2004 Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid was redesigned for Scotland and rolled out across the country. It was further updated and refreshed in 2009. There are currently over 300 trainers across the country and the course has been delivered to over 30,000 people across Scotland.

Further information is available on the SMHFA website [external site].