[Submitted by MHANJ] Mental Health First Aid, MHFA, isn’t as familiar or commonly known as CPR, but a national public education program aims to ensure that it is.
Locally, the seeds of this effort to reduce stigma and increase the amount of help provided in communities are being planted by the Mental Health Association in Ocean County where a team of certified trainers are teaching courses in meeting rooms throughout the area.
“This campaign is so important to the general health and well-being of people in our community,” said Laura Guida, Mental Health First Aid Training Coordinator with the Mental Health Association – Ocean County. “The training reduces uncertainty so people are not afraid to step into a situation and help someone in need.”
Current statistics show that 1 in 5 individuals will experience a mental health issue — which includes depression, anxiety, psychosis or substance use — in a given year, she added. Given that fact, she said that the average person is more likely to encounter someone who has experienced trauma, crisis or substance abuse than an individual having a heart attack.
“Most people don’t know what to say or do,” said Guida. “We’re trying to change that.”
With a training that incorporates role-playing, simulations and an easy-recall acronym to help people remember the protocol, MHFA is modeled closely after the widely successful trainings for First Aid and CPR. The curriculum introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews common treatments. A ground-breaking training, it equips people from all walks of life to provide initial help until professional, peer or family support can be engaged.
The Mental Health Association is offering the classes to a wide cross section of the community, including law enforcement and public safety professionals, first responders, police, health care workers, recovery workers, college leadership and students, library workers, public health employees and disaster volunteers.
Earlier this year, Brick mayor John Ducey coordinated with Ocean County Mental Health Association to provide the training to approximately 20 municipal workers.
“Being equipped to make a difference in such a positive way is something all towns should do for their employees. It’s a gift that has far- reaching impact and we are all better for it,” said Ducey. “I feel much more comfortable working with that person to provide assistance in an appropriate way and to turn to the resources available within our community as needed. This helps make sure people are aware of, and access, the exceptional programs and services available to keep them safe and healthy.”
In addition to teaching MHFA, the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County has certified, trained staff to teach Youth MHFA, which is geared for parents, teachers, guidance counselors and adults who work with children age 12-18.
Nationally, President Obama drew attention to MHFA when he encouraged teachers to get the training in his recent report “Now is the time: The president’s plan to protect our children and our communities by reducing gun violence.”
“The goal is to teach individuals who work or interact with youth how to distinguish typical behavior associated with adolescence from the behaviors that require attention,” explained Guida.
The Youth MHFA program focuses on risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common to youth including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders and substance use.
“Looking at current events and the nightly news, I think more and more people are coming to the realization that mental health issues require and deserve our attention,” said Guida.
Having worked in the field for many years, Guida knows the challenges of overcoming perceptions all too well. Still, she’s not deterred.
“Although there is progress in the field of mental health, we know there is room to improve. We hope that everyone who takes the training can better understand the impact mental illnesses have on a person, their family and communities,” said Robert Kley, Vice President of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.
Toward that end, the training connects participants to resources and supports available, including a free, confidential statewide 24/7 Helpline operated by the Mental Health Association that provides linkages to behavioral health services.
MHFA is currently in 20 countries around the world, and has been taught in the United States since 2008. The original program was created in Australia in 2001.
Funding by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The American Red Cross and The Wakefern Foundation provides the grant money for MHFA in Atlantic, Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The training is offered as a no-cost scholarship to organizations and individuals. The in-person training is comprised of two 4-hour classes.
The Mental Health Association in Ocean County has been working to provide education, support and advocacy to individuals with mental illness for more than 50 years.