The MHFA Canada program aims to improve mental health literacy, and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manage potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, a friend or a colleague.
MHFA trained employees will help equip your organization to:
- Recognize and understand the symptoms of mental health problems
- Provide help to prevent the mental health problem from developing into a more serious state
- Promote the recovery of good mental health by accommodating employees in distress or recovering from a crisis
- Increase productivity and reduce absenteeism and overall pressure on benefits
Evidence has shown that individuals who complete the MHFA training have:
- Significantly greater recognition of the most common mental health illnesses and problems
- Decreased social distance from people with mental health illnesses or problems
- Increased confidence in providing help to others
- Demonstrated increase in helpful actions
In a recent major Canadian study, 82% of responding organizations ranked mental health conditions in their top three causes of short term disability (72% for long-term). Moreover, 30% of all short and long term disability claims are due to mental health problems and illnesses. The average responding organization reported spending more than $10.5 million annually on absence claims.
