Mental Health First Aid: A Whole-of-Community Approach to Supporting Young People - Interactive Workshop
Tracks
Ballroom 2 - In-Person Only
| Monday, March 24, 2025 |
| 3:05 PM - 4:05 PM |
Overview
Dr Jakqui Barnfield, Mental Health First Aid International
Presenter
Dr Jakqui Barnfield
Executive Director – International Programs, Quality and Research
Mental Health First Aid International
Mental Health First Aid: A Whole-of-community Approach to Supporting Young People
Abstract
Addressing youth mental health problems is a growing concern for all those who support, care for, or work with young people. Recent reports, including the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Youth Mental Health and the Australian Government’s COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report, highlight increasing rates of mental health distress among young people, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.
This interactive presentation will explore the current youth mental health landscape, emphasising the importance of community-wide capacity building around early intervention and prevention. It will introduce Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training as a practical solution for equipping schools, parents, community organisations and all those who support young people – including adolescents themselves – to recognise the early signs of mental health problems and respond non-judgementally, with confidence and understanding.
Using real-world scenarios, the session will provide actionable strategies for addressing youth mental health problems and demonstrate how MHFA enables communities to foster open conversations, promote pathways to support, and provide timely support to young people. The presentation will also showcase recent advances in MHFA research, innovation and course development, with a focus on how it fits within a whole-of-system approach to mental health care.
Aligned with recommendations from the Lancet Psychiatry Commission, this session will show how MHFA contributes to mental health promotion, early intervention, and community awareness. Participants will leave with practical pathways to upskill their staff as MHFAiders to provide direct support to young people, or as Licensed Instructors, enabling them to deliver training that builds the capacity of the communities they serve.
By building capacity across sectors, MHFA ensures all those who support young people are speaking the same language. This collaborative approach has been shown to improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and enhance outcomes for young people by ensuring they receive the understanding, support, and care needed to thrive.
Three Key Learnings:
1. The importance of early intervention and prevention
2. Building community-wide capacity
3. The role of MHFA in a whole-of-system mental health framework
This interactive presentation will explore the current youth mental health landscape, emphasising the importance of community-wide capacity building around early intervention and prevention. It will introduce Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training as a practical solution for equipping schools, parents, community organisations and all those who support young people – including adolescents themselves – to recognise the early signs of mental health problems and respond non-judgementally, with confidence and understanding.
Using real-world scenarios, the session will provide actionable strategies for addressing youth mental health problems and demonstrate how MHFA enables communities to foster open conversations, promote pathways to support, and provide timely support to young people. The presentation will also showcase recent advances in MHFA research, innovation and course development, with a focus on how it fits within a whole-of-system approach to mental health care.
Aligned with recommendations from the Lancet Psychiatry Commission, this session will show how MHFA contributes to mental health promotion, early intervention, and community awareness. Participants will leave with practical pathways to upskill their staff as MHFAiders to provide direct support to young people, or as Licensed Instructors, enabling them to deliver training that builds the capacity of the communities they serve.
By building capacity across sectors, MHFA ensures all those who support young people are speaking the same language. This collaborative approach has been shown to improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and enhance outcomes for young people by ensuring they receive the understanding, support, and care needed to thrive.
Three Key Learnings:
1. The importance of early intervention and prevention
2. Building community-wide capacity
3. The role of MHFA in a whole-of-system mental health framework
Biography
Dr Jakqui Barnfield is the Executive Director of International Programs, Quality and Research at Mental Health First Aid International, leading the development of evidence-based MHFA programs across more than 30 countries.
With over 25 years’ experience in senior mental health, nursing, and operations roles, Jakqui has worked across tertiary and primary health services, community and university sectors, and digital mental health.
A mental health nurse and passionate advocate, her expertise includes clinical governance, digital service delivery, and transformational leadership. Jakqui believes mental health education and training are key to building connected, healthy communities.
