Update of our manual on First aid for mental health problems

10/11/25

In addition to our well-known guidelines on first aid for physical injuries, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders published its first evidence-based guidelines on first aid for mental health problems in 2019. These covered topics such as addiction, depression, burnout, and grief. The guidelines were compiled in the handbook Listen! First aid for mental health problems [in Dutch: Luister! Eerste hulp bij psychische problemen], which was launched alongside training sessions organised by Belgian Red Cross-Flanders to better equip laypeople with the skills to assist people facing mental health challenges. 

In 2024, we updated these guidelines, which centre around forms of communication that laypeople can use to support individuals facing mental health issues. The update focused specifically on new evidence related to aggression, burnout, psychosis, and traumatic events. Additionally, we introduced two new research questions: one on interventions to alleviate loneliness and another on the effectiveness of educational programs in improving mental health-related first aid skills among laypeople. 

The systematic literature search performed by CEBaP yielded over 7000 studies, from which we selected 48 relevant publications, including 9 systematic reviews. Based on this evidence, a team from the First Aid Department drafted a revised version of the handbook. This draft was then critically reviewed by an expert panel, consisting of mental health experts, academics from different institutions, and people with lived experience.

By combining the findings from the scientific literature with the insights of the expert panel, the guidelines were updated. And there’s good news: the updated version of the handbook (in Dutch) is now available in the webshop of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders!