MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

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MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
A Collaborative Partnership of National Council
for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Maryland
State Department of Mental Hygiene and Missouri
Department of Mental Health
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Mental Health First Aid

• The help provided to a person developing a mental
  health problem or experiencing a crisis until
  professional treatment is
  received or the crisis resolves.

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Why Mental Health First Aid?

• Mental health problems are common.
• Mental health problems can be successfully
  treated and people can get better.
• There is stigma associated with mental health
  problems.
• Many people are not well informed about mental
  health problems.
• Professional help is not always on hand.
• People often do not know how to respond.

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History of Mental Health First Aid
In 2001, Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm developed
the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Program at the
Center for Mental Health Research at the
Australian National University. The National
Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare has
adapted the program for use in America and is in
charge of expanding MHFA across the United
States. All instructors are certified by the
National Council after completing a week-long
instructor course.

• In 2001, Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm developed
  the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Program at the
  Center for Mental Health Research at the
  Australian National University.
• The National Council for Community Behavioral
  Healthcare has adapted the program for use in
  America and is in charge of expanding MHFA across
  the United States. All instructors are certified
  by the National Council after completing a
  week-long instructor course.

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Mental Health First Aid

• Expanded to more than 14 countries
• Cambodia, Canada, England, Finland, Hong Kong,
  Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland,
  Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Wales
• Piloted in the U.S. in 2008
• Iowa was one of the initial sites chosen for
  implementation and currently has 120 certified
  instructors of the 12 hour MHFA course.

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Evidenced Effectiveness

• Four published randomized control trials and a
  qualitative study (in Australia)
• Increases mental health literacy and
  understanding of treatment
• Expands individuals knowledge of how to help
  someone in crisis
• Connects individuals to needed services
• Reduces stigma

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Vision for MHFA in U.S.

• Mental Health First Aid will be as commonplace in
  15 years as CPR and First-Aid are today.

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MHFA by the Numbers(2008-Mid 2009)

• 330 instructors certified
• 36 state presence
• 180 community trainings to date
• 3000 people trained
• 1,000,000 media impressions

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Activity!
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MENTAL ILLNESS IS DISABLING
The burden of mental illness is often
underestimated.
Mental illness can be more disabling for the
person than many chronic physical illnesses.
Research by WHO compared the amount of
disability caused by a mental health problem
to the amount of disability caused by a
physical health problem.
The disability impact from moderate depression is
similar to the disability from relapsing MS,
severe asthma, chronic Hepatitis B or deafness.
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PERCENTAGE OF AMERICAN ADULTS WITH A MENTAL
DISORDER IN ONE YEAR
COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS
Any Anxiety Disorder 18.1
Any Substance Use Disorder 9.1
Any Depressive Disorder 6.7
SCHIZOPHRENIA 1.1
Source The Numbers Count Mental Disorders in
America (2006 Revised), NIMH
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Impact on society.

• Mental illness accounts for 15 of the total
  economic burden of all disease in the U.S.
  Untreated mental disorders cost 79 billion in
  lost productivity every year.

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Activity!
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People are Saying . . .

• Just weeks after attending the training, Ive
  already used the skills I learned in Mental
  Health First Aid
• Hospital employee
• I think any professionals who deal with people
  should take this course, especially emergency
  personnel, teachers, . . . Employment
  Services Professional
• I now feel better prepared for what might
  happen.
• Homeless Shelter volunteer
• This info can help a person to become more
  understanding, rather than judgmental, of someone
  with a mental illness
• Community Member

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Trainings Offered In Iowa

• Trainings are currently tracked by the National
  Council through a web-based system.
• For SFY 11-July 2010 through June 2011 1,230
  individuals participated in 77 trainings across
  the state.
• These numbers are expected to increase in SFY 12
  as new instructors in previously underserved
  areas begin offering training.

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Key Audiences

• Hospitals and Health Centers
• Employers
• Faith communities
• Schools
• Law Enforcement / Justice
• Nursing home staff
• Families and caring citizens
• Key Professions
• Mental Health Authorities
• Policymakers

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The Training

• 12-hour training teaches 5-step action plan to
  better support family members, friends and others
  in four sections. The topics covered include
• Depression
• Suicide
• Anxiety
• Psychosis
• Substance Abuse and Addiction
• Eating disorders
• Self Injury

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You will learn.

• The course provides basic mental health
  information that has not always been readily
  available to the public, helping reduce the fear
  and uncertainty that members of the public may
  feel when dealing with a possible mental health
  crisis.
• The course provides participants with information
  about symptoms of developing mental disorders,
  and specific actions that a person can take if
  faced with mental health related crisis
  situations.

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You will learn.

• The prevalence of mental illness in the U.S and
  their emotional and economic cost.
• Potential warning signs and risk factors of many
  common behavioral health disorders.
• A 5-step action plan to help an individual in
  crisis connect to professional care.
• Resources available to help someone with a
  problem.

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You will learn.

• The MHFA Action Plan-
• Assess for risk of harm or self/harm
• Listen non-judgmentally
• Give encouragement
• Encourage self-help strategies
• Encourage professional help

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Assess
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Listen non-judgmentally
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Give encouragement
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Encourage Help
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Activity!
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What you can do.

• Mental Health First Aid, with its new focus on
  recovery, has the power to transform communities,
  the power to change beliefs and the ability to
  connect people in ways they never would have
  connected otherwise.
• - Larry Fricks
• National Consumer Leader

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 12 hour Courses offeredMay 10th and
11th YSS AmesJune 7th and 8th YSS Ames
September 18th and 19th YSS AmesMore
dates/locations TBA
National Alliance on Mental Illness
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Additional Information

• www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org
• www.YSS.org
• Jason Haglund, Director of Treatment
  jhaglund_at_yss.ames.ia.usAndrea Dickerson,
  Residential Program Coordinatoradickerson_at_yss.ame
  s.ia.usLaura Bell, Prevention Specialistlbell_at_ys
  s.ames.ia.us