February 2024

As we continue our journey in promoting mental health awareness, February 2024 has proven to be another remarkable month for our embedded mental health first aid programme. Building on the success of our initial courses, we are thrilled to announce that seven additional courses took place this month, resulting in 128 more Garda personnel completing the MHFA programme. This achievement brings our total number of certified mental health first aiders to an impressive 235.

The enthusiasm and dedication shown by our participants are commendable. Each new mental health first aider is now equipped with the essential skills to offer support and guidance to their colleagues, fostering a culture of wellbeing within the Garda community. 

In addition to the successful completion of these courses, we are excited to welcome 14 new facilitators who have begun their training. These individuals are set to join our MHFA community and will be scheduled to start delivering the mental health first aid programme themselves in April. Their involvement will not only expand our reach but also ensure that more personnel have access to this vital training.

At the Garda National Wellbeing Office, we remain committed to enhancing mental health support across our organisation. In collaboration with Mental Health First Aid Ireland, we are building a robust network of mental health first aiders who will be pivotal in promoting awareness and providing assistance when needed.

Thank you to everyone involved in this initiative—our facilitators, participants and supporters. Your efforts are making a significant difference, and we look forward to the continued growth of our mental health first aid programme in the months to come.