Issue Date: 27th March 2024
15 Gardaí graduated as accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training Facilitators on Monday, 25th, March 2024, demonstrating their commitment to promoting mental health awareness and providing health and wellbeing support in An Garda Síochána.
These graduates are the result of a partnership with Mental Health First Aid Ireland which sees Garda personnel throughout the country completing Mental Health First Aid Ireland certified training courses over the next 2 years. Accredited facilitators like those who graduated on Monday will deliver these courses to all Garda personnel in the whole organisation.
The aim is to provide Garda personnel with a better understanding of mental health, to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and to help participants to recognise when someone may be in difficulty or in crisis with their mental health. This will have applications and benefits in supporting their own wellbeing, their peers and also when dealing with members of the public.
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the initial help given to someone when developing a mental health problem, a reoccurrence of an existing mental health problem or who is in a mental health crisis.
The first aid is given until appropriate professional support is received or until the crisis resolves. Mental Health First Aid is an internationally recognised evidence-supported programme. It has been adopted and is used by a number of police services around the world.
Mental Health First Aid has been shown to be effective in improving levels of mental health literacy, reducing stigma and improving help-giving behaviours.
Commissioner Harris Speaking at the graduation, Commissioner Harris said: "Today, our first group of instructors graduate, paving the way for many others across the organisation to be trained and informed in the area of Mental Health First Aid.
As this is our first graduation, it is an important milestone in our partnership with Mental Health First Aid Ireland and St John of God’s Hospital. This partnership began last July when we launched this programme.
As Gardaí, mental health is something we are likely to experience in terms of our day to day duties in keeping the people of Ireland safe. But it is also important to remember that anyone, even Gardaí, can experience a mental health difficulty at any stage in their lives.
Having access to Mental Health First Aid in the workplace is a huge asset to you, to our colleagues. And furthermore it augments the service we can provide to members of the public
Through this partnership, it is hoped that within two years we may see up to 20% of our Gardaí, across all ranks nationwide, completing Mental Health First Aid Ireland certified training courses. And, it is our intention that all Garda personnel will complete this training in time.”
Also speaking at the graduation, Dr. Oghenovo Oghuvbu, Chief Medical Officer, An Garda Síochána said: "The An Garda Síochána Mental Health First Aid Programme provides An Garda Síochána with an evidence supported programme that has the potential to change the way we view mental health, talk about mental health and support mental health in the workplace.
"It also promotes organisational mental health resilience alongside other supports in line with the An Garda Síochána Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021 – 2025.”
Background:
- In the An Garda Síochána Health & Wellbeing Strategy (2021 to 2025), An Garda Síochána committed to delivering various training and other interventions to engender and support good mental health in the workplace.
- The Garda Síochána Mental Health First Aid Programme will address feedback from An Garda Síochána’s Health Needs Assessment Survey 2019 that mental health wellbeing awareness, support and training is a priority issue for Garda personnel.
- A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between An Garda Síochána and Mental Health First Aid Ireland (MHFA Ireland) in July 2023.
- MHFA Ireland and An Garda Síochána have worked in partnership to build internal capacity within An Garda Síochána to deliver the standard accredited MHFA training to all Garda personnel over the coming years.
- In order to achieve this, MHFA Ireland trained suitable candidates from within An Garda Síochána to become fully accredited MHFA Instructors who will serve as Garda Síochána MHFA Training Facilitators. These facilitators will deliver the standard certified MHFA course to the whole organisation over the coming years.
- The Garda Senior Leadership Team undertook the two-day mental health first aid course in 2023.
Courses delivered 2024
Since January 2024, the 15 An Garda Síochána MHFA accredited Training Facilitators have delivered the standard two-day MHFA courses programme across the organisation to 328 Garda personnel.
