The Do More Agriculture Foundation in partnership with Farm Credit Canada has established a one year pilot project under which mental health first aid training is being offered in rural communities across Canada.

Kim Keller, a Saskatchewan farmer and cofounder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, says the application process was officially launched in early September and due to the overwhelming response - over 100 applications from communities and groups across Canada - applications were closed 30 September.

Keller describes the course:

"Mental Health First Aid Training is a two day course. It's a proper certification, and it's the same as physical first aid training except it focuses on our mental health.

"What it does is help people to understand different health issues, different mental illnesses, and also allows people to recognise the signs and symptoms that someone may be experiencing during a crisis.

"The course will prepare you on how to intervene in a crisis, until professional help can be reached - whether that be calling 9-1-1 or ensuring that person is taken to their local emergency room.

"I think what's really important is that it's not teaching you to be a therapist, it's not teaching you to be a doctor. It's teaching you how to respond in a crisis situation not unlike physical first aid would train you on how to respond if someone breaks their leg, right up until you get them to the hospital or 9-1-1 is contacted."

Keller notes that the foundation will be announcing 1 November, the communities that will be receiving the mental health first aid training first. Other communities will be placed on a wait list and will be notified as funding becomes available to allow them to undertake training.

For more information visit domore.ag or email [email protected]

As reported by Bruce Cochrane, Farmscape.Ca