Mumbai based mental health and well-being institution, Mpower has recently announced the introduction of a ‘Youth Mental Health First Aid’ (YMHFA) programme which will be conducted on April 27 and May 4, 2019.

Promoted in 2016 by Neerja and Ananya Birla to champion mental health causes through awareness, prevention, medical and counselling services, Mpower has been providing a wide array of services to over 10,000 individuals undergoing various mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorder, psychosis and substance use.

Mpower is one of the few institutions to introduce the YMHFA course focusing on helping mental health patients between 12 to 25 years of age. The course participants learn about providing first-aid for crisis situations involving suicide, self-harm, traumatic events, aggressive behaviours.

 The two-day certification programme has been launched in collaboration with Australia-based Mental Health First Aid International. The tailor-made programme will not only help individuals spot the signs of poor mental health but also teach them about appropriate behaviour towards such patients. Certified students will be able to guide patients about professional help available too.

Comments Gauravi Lobo, lead – outreach & collaborations at Mpower The Centre, “Mental health problems usually start in adolescence. People who work with young adults need to be able to spot the warning signs and provide the right assistance. The need for such programs is impossible to deny. While it is important that we have more counselors, mental health professionals, psychologists and psychiatrists in the country, everyone cannot become a professional practitioner. But each and every person can be trained to offer help and guidance in the right way. Mental health issues take a huge toll on our population. They are a silent and invisible problem. The only way to combat this is to make ordinary people aware and equip ordinary people to be vigilant, sensitive and smart about the way they deal with mental health issues in youth.”

The course aims to train parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens who work closely with young adults in the 12-25 age group who are developing a mental health problem or to those who are undergoing a mental health crisis.

Those interested can register at https://www.mpowerminds.com/outreachymhfa.