Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

The issue of mental health has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Mental health problems and conditions are becoming increasingly common, with over 40 percent of people in Germany being affected at least once in their lifetime. The MHFA continual professional development courses follow a scientifically evaluated, evidence-based program. Among other things, these evaluations found that the courses have a number of positive side-effects such as reducing stigmatizing attitudes and improving participants’ own mental health. For some time now, therefore, members of the University of Bonn have likewise been able to take MHFA courses and become part of the network.

This page is for anyone interested in taking an MHFA course or joining our network as well as anyone who would like to chat with a qualified MHFA. The information below is designed to help you get an overview of the general approach and what services are available at the University of Bonn.

Accessing MHFA at the University of Bonn

Support for mental health has grown more and more important in recent years. The need for it has been demonstrated not only in a student mental health survey piloted at the University but also in the inquiries from students and colleagues from various areas as to whether the University might also run MHFA courses. The next step was to draw up a strategy for introducing MHFA courses under the overall leadership of Healthy Campus Bonn and with the involvement of various key people at the University.

The process concluded with both Healthy Campus Bonn steering groups—staff and students—signing off the strategy put before them.

The MHFA continual professional development course

Aims and content of the course

The course focuses on training non-experts to recognize mental health problems in other people, looking at four issues in particular: forms of depression, anxiety disorders, psychoses and addictions. Participants learn and practice some appropriate ways to provide first aid for these conditions.

Target groups

Staff working in an advisory role, e.g. examination or doctoral office staff and degree program managers
Students with advisory responsibilities, e.g. tutors and members of bodies such as the General Students’ Committee (AStA) and the departmental student bodies

To our current courses for staff (in person) - German

To our current courses for staff (online) - German

To our current courses for students (in person) - German

What competencies do MHFAs have at the University of Bonn?

The MHFAs help to combat stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness. They are less likely to feel shock-induced paralysis and helplessness when they find themselves confronted by others experiencing an acute mental health crisis or developing psychological condition. The MHFAs feel confident in offering help and responding appropriately in difficult situations. They will refer people on to professional counseling services at or outside the University of Bonn as and when required.

What are MHFAs not capable of offering?

MHFAs will not give any medical diagnoses as part of their chats. These chats are not the same as psychotherapy and not intended as a medium- to long-term solution.

If you are looking for counseling for (mental) health problems or conflicts or support with other issues such as gender equality or family matters, you are welcome to contact the University of Bonn’s counseling services. The teams have the right professional background and can also help you find other points of contact outside the University if need be:

MHFA guidelines

Whether or not you take an MHFA continual professional development course, you can make use of the official guidelines, especially if you need information and support at short notice. These provide tips on interacting with those affected and background information on the various issues, e.g. coping with depression, with eating disorders, with suicidal thoughts or with alcohol misuse. You can download the various sets of guidelines in English for free from the web page of the organization that provides the MHFA courses in Australia.

To the guidelines

Evaluation of and quality assurance for the strategy

All MHFAs at the University of Bonn are asked to keep a written record of their chats, which—needless to say—is done anonymously. This allows us to get an overview of what kind of counseling and support is needed and develop targeted services as required. The written record thus forms an important initial component of the quality assurance process.

Additional steps are in the pipeline and will be introduced gradually.

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Networking sessions for qualified MHFAs

We feel that is important to continue supporting participants after they have completed their MHFA course and so have set up a number of networking sessions. This is another element in the quality assurance process for the strategy at the University of Bonn.

For staff who have completed an MHFA course

The networking sessions are held twice a year and last between two and two and a half hours. They provide an opportunity to chat and exchange advice with colleagues and experts as well as covering good self-care and boosting one’s own mental health. Information on the networking sessions is provided in a secure area on Confluence that all MHFAs at the University of Bonn can access.

More details on Confluence

For students who have completed an MHFA course

Following the first course for students with advisory responsibilities (e.g. from the departmental student bodies or the AStA) earlier in 2025, networking sessions for students will likewise get under way at the end of the year. These will give MHFAs an opportunity to chat, brush up on their knowledge, learn new things and devote some time to their self-care.

Further information will be provided shortly.

Teams with qualified MHFAs

Below is a list of teams at the University of Bonn that already contain some people who have completed an MHFA course. The list is arranged by target groups and is supplemented at regular intervals.