FAQ
1. General information on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
Inspired by the concept of physical first aid, Mental Health First Aid courses aim to teach participants how to recognise signs of psychological distress, intervene quickly and appropriately and refer people to professional help if necessary. The idea is to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and build support capacity in communities.
The idea for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) originated in Australia, where the programme was created in 2000 by Betty Kitchener, a mental health nurse, and Anthony Jorm, a psychology professor. Their aim was to improve society's understanding of mental disorders and enable everyone to play an active role in supporting people in difficulty.
Yes, Mental Health First Aid started in Australia and to date has been adapted and delivered in over 30 countries including: England, Bermuda, Cambodia, Canada, China, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Wales, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, United States and France.
2. Course content, duration and timetable
The standard Mental Health First Aid course provides a basic understanding of mental disorders and practical measures to be applied in the event of a crisis or problem situation. Participants learn about the most common disorders (depression, anxiety, psychosis, addiction), how to recognise a crisis and how to intervene by following an action plan. Practical exercises and role-playing help to anchor these skills in concrete terms.
The standard Mental Health First Aid course lasts 12 hours, divided into four modules of 3 hours each. The PSSM Youth course consists of 4 modules of 3.5 hours each and the PSSM Teen course consists of 3 modules of 100 minutes each.
If you register for a course, you will need to complete all 4 modules of that course in order to obtain the diploma in mental health first aid. Please note that we do not offer make-up courses. A total absence of one hour is tolerated.
Yes, each participant receives a Mental Health First Aid diploma after completing the 4 modules of the course. After completing the course, you will receive an email with a link to our training management platform to complete the course satisfaction form. Once completed, you will be able to download your diploma from the training management platform.
Yes, during the Mental Health First Aid course, you will receive a manual. The handbook is issued either at the beginning of the 1st module, at the beginning of the 2nd module or at the beginning of the 3rd module if the course runs over two consecutive days. It includes key information covered during the course, practical tools for intervening, if necessary, as well as additional resources to deepen your knowledge.
No. Manuals are provided exclusively to participants during PSSM courses.
Yes, some courses are given online in the form of webinars.
The Mental Health First Aid Standard is available in Luxembourgish or German, English and French. Youth and Teen courses are available in Luxembourgish or German and French.
This is at the instructor's discretion up to a maximum number of 20 people. However, we recommend a group size of between 8 and 20 people.
3. Target audience and registration
This programm is aimed at a wide audience, with no specific prerequisites, as its objective is to raise awareness and train non-professionals to recognise the signs of mental distress and intervene appropriately.
Anyone can become a first aider.
From the age of 18, you can enroll on the PSSM Standard and PSSM Youth courses.
For young people aged 15-16 to 18, PSSM Teen courses are available at some secondary schools.
To register for a Mental Health First Aid course, consult our list of courses or contact your municipality to find out whether courses are organised there. Your employer may also offer courses for staff, so don't hesitate to ask.
Each participant will receive an invoice from the Ligue Santé Mentale approximately 4 weeks before the start of the course. The invoice must be paid within 30 days.
Yes, you can cancel your enrolment. Please note, however, that registration fees are non-refundable in the event of cancellation or absence from a course.
4. Organisation and pricing of courses
The Mental Health First Aid courses are organised by the Service Prévention et Formation of the Ligue Santé Mentale asbl, the sole holder in Luxembourg of the MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) International licence. MHFA International is an Australian certification awarded to non-profit organisations able to meet various quality, sustainability and comprehensiveness criteria. Since its launch, the MHFA programme has expanded to many countries, adapting its content to the cultural contexts and specific needs of different populations.
Only instructors trained and certified by the Ligue Santé Mentale can give Mental Health First Aid courses.
The Standard course, open to individuals, costs €27, while the Youth course costs €31. Kulturpass holders pay only €1.50. Holders of the European Youth Card can take classes free of charge.
A Mental Health First Aid course for a company or organisation costs €2,700 (Standard course) / €3,100 (Youth course). If the organisation has its own in-house trainer, it pays only for the manuals purchased from the Ligue Santé Mentale (€54 Standard / €62 Youth).
Yes, companies and organisations can offer Mental Health First Aid courses for their employees. They have two options: they can either ask the Ligue Santé Mentale to provide a course using one of its qualified instructors, or they can train an "in-house" instructor within their organisation, who can then give the courses directly to their employees.
5. Becoming a PSSM instructor
Anyone who has already completed a PSSM course and has a sound knowledge of mental disorders can become an instructor. In addition to these skills, it is crucial to master the teaching techniques needed to pass on this knowledge in an effective and engaging way.
The requirements for applying are as follows:
- Have a Standard and/or Youth Mental Health First Aid diploma
- Have a degree in psychosocial, educational and/or health studies
- Proven experience and a real passion for delivering training courses
- Have the ambition to run at least three courses a year
- Showing respect and empathy for people living with mental health problems
To become an instructor, you must first ensure that you meet the required criteria (see the "Become an instructor" page). If you do, you can send us your application.
Once your application has been accepted, you will be required to take our instructor training course. The dates for these courses will be announced on this website. This training is essential to obtaining certification, and will provide you with the tools and teaching skills you need to deliver the PSSM programm independently and professionally.
Each participant is entitled to a maximum absence of 4 hours (i.e. 10% of the total). Beyond this limit, the participant will not receive an instructor's diploma and will have to restart the course.
Certified and experienced trainers employed within the Ligue Santé Mentale.
If a person does not pass the assessment, an interview will be arranged to discuss areas for improvement. The person will then be given the opportunity to retake the exam. If the second attempt is unsuccessful, the process will be terminated.
The instructor training course costs €3,500, including meals.
- Reproduction of teaching material: It is forbidden to reproduce teaching material (manuals, PowerPoint presentations, course materials, videos) in any form whatsoever, with the exception of the "Teaching resources for instructors" worksheets.
- Modification of material: The instructor may not modify the teaching material or change the course title without the written authorisation of the licence holder.
- Course content: The programme must be taught in its entirety, without modification or addition. The materials provided (presentations, exercises, role plays, etc.) must be used.
- Brand and logo: The "First Aid for Mental Health Luxembourg" logo and brand may not be used without written authorisation, except in the context of a partnership where co-branding is permitted.
- Sharing teaching resources: "Teaching resources for instructors" may not be shared with third parties without authorisation.
- Connection data: Personal data relating to connection to the platform must be protected and must not be passed on to unauthorised third parties.
- Course manual: Each participant must receive the most recent version of the course manual and associated materials. It is forbidden to photocopy or sell the manual.
- Course dates: Instructors must publish the dates of the Mental Health First Aid courses they run on the platform.
- Data for the diploma: The data required to generate the first aid diploma must be entered on the platform.
- Number of courses: Instructors must run at least three courses a year, or six courses over two years.
- National Instructors' Day: The instructor must take part in the annual or biannual instructor day organised by the licence holder.
- Professional conduct: Respect for the opinions, rights and dignity of participants is required.
- Reputation of the courses: The instructor must not damage the reputation of the courses or the licence holder.
- Variation of conditions: The licence holder may amend the conditions of this agreement, giving three months' notice. The instructor will have to sign the new version or stop giving courses.
The remuneration of an instructor for a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course varies depending on whether he or she works for the Ligue Santé Mentale, is an "in-house" instructor within a company or a freelance. When an instructor is contacted via the Ligue Santé Mentale to give in-house courses, he or she is paid €1,523 for the Standard course and €1,734 for the Youth course. On the other hand, an in-house instructor, who is generally an employee of the organisation, is not paid by the Ligue Santé Mentale. In this case, it is up to the company to decide whether to pay the instructor and, if so, how much.
6. Other
If you can't find the answer to your question here, please contact us by filling in the contact form or by telephone on 45 55 33.