The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that in the United States today, an average of one in every four adults and 10 percent of all adolescents report struggling with some type of mental health issue on an annual basis. With statistics like these, it is clear that mental health issues are every bit as common for Americans today as their physical health counterparts. Australia has already identified and addressed a similar issue in their population. Several years ago, Australia adopted a nationwide program called mental health first aid (MHFA). The MHFA program has been so effective for Australians that a similar program is now available in the United States as well.
The Origins of Mental Health First Aid
Mental health first aid originally came to the States in 2008. Through a partnership between the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, MHFA was invited to migrate from Down Under to North America. Today, personnel in 47 states have been trained through the original 12-hour certification course with great success. Because of this success and due to increased demand, plans are now underway to tailor the certification course for specific populations or organizations such as adolescents, adults, law enforcement professionals, high school and university campuses, libraries and government agencies.
MHFA and Health Professionals
Interestingly, mental health first aid itself is still such a fresh and emerging field that even mental health professionals are continuing to learn what it means and how to implement the training effectively for different populations. For students pursuing a masters degree in human services, public health or a related degree plan, this presents an opportunity to literally get in on the ground floor of a new field. Whether you become a certification program administrator, take the course and add it to your professional toolkit or work to adapt the training to specific populations you work with, you can find many opportunities to lead or assist with efforts to make common mental health issues part of mainstream health knowledge.
How Mental Health First Aid Works
When a person is suffering a heart attack or a blocked airway, that individual and those nearby are quite likely to recognize the signs and take appropriate action to seek help. However, it is less likely that either the person suffering or their loved ones will recognize the warning signs of an impending mental health issue. This means that the process of seeking help is often delayed, which can be quite dangerous or even deadly. For this reason, the newly inaugurated United States MHFA program focuses on helping trainees to meet these three goals.
- Learning to identify and respond to mental health issues. Common mental health issues can include depression, anxiety/panic attacks, bipolar episodes, suicidal ideation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and eating disorders.
- Developing an emergency response system for mental health issues. Helping an affected individual access care can include medical, psychiatric, counseling and community support.
- Understanding the most common treatments for mental health issues. A similar analogy can be made between witnessing someone gasping for breath and performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Applications for Catastrophic Events
In the wake of recent catastrophic events, the need for mental health first-aid training is growing more urgent. From the Oklahoma tornado to the Colorado wildfires, the Connecticut school shooting to the Massachusetts marathon bombing, having trained MHFA facilitators available to connect with affected individuals can help to identify mental health issues more quickly to ease suffering.
Who Should Take the MHFA Training
The 12-hour certification course is currently recommended for the following individuals and groups.
- Medical and mental health professionals
- Educators and administrators
- Employers and business managers
- Government officials
- Corrections officers and law enforcement officials
- Parents and guardians
- Clinic, hospital, nursing home and hospice staff
- University and high school student leaders and advisors
- Emergency response and humanitarian relief staff and volunteers
- Religious leaders and staff
With the advent of mental health first-aid training in the United States, many more individuals affected by mental health issues are finding new hope for early detection and treatment.
About the Author: Steven Hopt works as a rural health educator. After graduating with a human services master’s degree, he returned home to put his education and newfound skills to use.
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