First aid kits are compulsory in workplaces around Australia, for physical rather than mental health.
However, experts say it’s more likely someone at a workplace – whether an employee or customer – will have mental ill-health than a physical emergency.
A recent landmark global report into youth mental health by the Lancet Psychiatry Commission recommended mental health first aid as a possible remedy to rising rates of mental ill-health.
So, what is mental health first aid? And should workplaces make it mandatory?
First aid
First aid kits and training are compulsory in Australian workplaces.
Safework Australia – the national workplace health and safety regulator – says: “First aid can mean the difference between life and death.”
Any employer who fails to meet first aid obligations risks fines. These can be up to $40,000 in NSW and around $10,000 for breaches in Queensland.
Mental health
First aid for treating mental ill-health focuses on how to identify people who might be struggling, and developing practical skills to address their challenges.
Many not-for-profits, such as St John Ambulance, Red Cross, and the dedicated training provider Mental Health First Aid.
It’s also a way of triaging support services like counselling, emergency help like Lifeline, and other networks.
Mental health action plans are summarised in the acronym ALGEE: Approaching, Listening, Giving reassurance, Encouraging professional help, and Encouraging other self-help.
Lara Bisley from St John Ambulance NSW helps run mental health first aid courses, and says mental health discussions are often “taboo”.
“People often don’t want to pry into people’s personal lives, but it can make a really huge difference if someone is willing to ask the [right] question,” she told TDA.
She said some of the “specialist skills” range from supportive listening to supporting someone who might be in crisis.
Growing calls
Unlike physical first aid training, mental health first aid is not compulsory.
Mental health first aid researcher and Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne Dr Amy Morgan told TDA mental and physical health need to be treated equally seriously.
“Physical first aid training is mandatory and has a cost associated with it.
“It’s probably more likely that a mental health problem is going to be encountered in the workplace than a physical health emergency,” Dr Morgan said.
Effectiveness
Major global mental health research body, the Lancet Psychiatry Commission, has noted it’s unclear whether there are benefits for people who’ve received this type of training.
Dr Morgan told TDA it’s likely because of a lack of data illustrating the benefits.
A separate 2021 study published in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems found young people who attended mental health training had “increased knowledge about mental illness and reduced stigma”.
Optus is one of many businesses choosing to upskill some of their staff – including those in customer-facing roles – to respond to mental health crises.
The telco’s Work Health and Safety Manager Megan McLaren told TDA learning how to provide “real-time support and assistance” had been an “eye-opener” for staff.
“In first aid, you see a cut, you put a Band-Aid on it, and you move the person on to the right support if they need it,” McLaren said.
“For mental health, it is more subdued and not as well recognised. But to support people in that moment is vital.”
Government support
Courses in mental health first aid can range from $250-400. Upskilling an entire workforce would be expensive.
In NSW, the State Government has given funding to the Black Dog Institute to provide free mental health training for eligible businesses with fewer than 200 employees, and not-for-profit organisations.
The Federal Government has dedicated some funding to boosting the “scale and reach” of the dedicated provider Mental Health First Aid.
Assistant Mental Health Minister Emma McBride did not respond to TDA’s questions about whether the Government is considering making the training mandatory.
In a statement, she said the training “has the potential to reduce the longer-term impact of mental ill-health on the Australian economy.”
Mental ill-health and suicide are estimated to cost the Australian economy around $200 billion a year in lost productivity, cost of care, and reduced life expectancy, according to a 2021 estimation by the Productivity Commission.
