Mental Health First Aid

TUI University

By April Showalter

Capstone Integrative Project

MHD 599 Mod 2 SLP

Dr. Afrooz Afghani

May 25, 2009

a public health education program

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

What is mental illness? What is MHFA? What does MHFA teach? The aims of MHFA Action steps in MHFA The goals of MHFA training MHFA program goals MHFA program objectives MHFA program coalition partners Why coalition partners Successful coalitions Key coalition partners Other potential partners US agencies that have MHFA programs References

an overview

A health condition that changes a person’s: Thinking, Feelings, or Behavior Or all three and Causes the person distress and Difficulty in functioning.

Is severe in some cases and mild in others.

Individuals who have a mental illness don’t necessarily look like they are sick, especially if their illness is mild.

Other individuals may show more explicit symptoms such as confusion, agitation, or withdrawal.

What is Mental Illness?

What is MHFA?

First Aid for the mind

Medical First Aid vs. MHFA

Definition: MHFA is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

What Does MFHA Teach? MHFA addresses the immediate needs of

the most common mental health disorders in America today:

Depression and Bipolar Disorder Anxiety Disorders: Panic Disorder,

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Phobias

Psychosis: Bipolar Disorder, Psychotic Depression, Schizoaffective Disorder, Drug Induced Psychosis

Substance Use Disorders: Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis, Amphetamines, Ecstasy, Heroin

The Aims of MHFA Are To:

1) Preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others

2) Provide help to prevent the mental health problem developing into a more serious state

3) Promote recovery of good mental health

4) Provide comfort to a person suffering a mental illness

Action Steps in Providing MHFA

1) Assess risk of suicide or harm2) Listen non-judgmentally3) Give reassurance and information4) Encourage person to get

appropriate professional help5) Encourage self-help strategies

The Goals of MHFA Training

the names of the most common MH problems;

the signs & the symptoms of the common MH problems;

the potential causes of MH problems; the risk factors for each MH problem; treatment options for each MH problem; action steps on how to help and/or get help; where to get outside help; when to get outside help; other resources about MH.

Each participant will learn...

MHFA Program Goals

Improved recognition of MH problems. Eliminate stigmas regarding MH problems. Improve public health knowledge of MH. Change negative beliefs regarding MH issues. Increase understanding & compassion. Decrease social distancing people with MH

problems have. Increase the amount of help provided to those

with MH problems. Increase confidence in people who want to

help those with MH problems.

MHFA is a public health education program with the goals of:

6 Criteria to be a MHFA Instructor

1) Good knowledge of mental disorders and their treatment.

2) Personal or professional experience with people with mental health problems.

3) Favorable attitudes towards people with mental health problems.

4) Good teaching and communication skills. 5) Good background knowledge of mental

health and community services. 6) Good interpersonal skills.

MHFA program wants instructors who have/are:

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart I

Why Mental Health First Aid? The MHFA action plan Mental health problems in America What are mental health problems? How common are mental health problems? Disability caused by mental health problems Helpful resources

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart II

Depression Bipolar Disorder

Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety

Disorder (GAD) Obsessive-

Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Phobic Disorders Panic Disorder

Psychosis Bipolar Disorder Psychotic Depression Schizoaffective

Disorder Schizophrenia Drug Induced

PsychosisSubstance Use Disorders

Alcohol Tobacco Cannabis Amphetamines Ecstasy Heroin

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart II: Depression

What is depression?– Symptoms of depression– How a depressed person may

appear– Bipolar disorder

What causes depression? First aid for depression How to help a suicidal person Treatment that works for depression Helpful resources for depression

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart II: Anxiety Disorders

What is an anxiety disorder?– Symptoms of anxiety disorders– Types of anxiety disorders• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) • Panic Disorder • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Phobic Disorders

What causes anxiety disorders? First aid for anxiety disorders How to help a person having a panic attack How to help a person who has experienced a

traumatic event Helpful resources for anxiety disorders

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart II: Psychosis

Psychosis What is psychosis?

– Commons symptoms of psychosis Some types of psychosis

– Schizophrenia– Bipolar disorder– Psychotic depression– Schizoaffective disorder– Drug-induced psychosis

What causes psychosis? Schizophrenia Bipolar disorder First aid for psychosis What to do if a psychotic person is perceived as

threatening violence Helpful resources for psychotic disorders

MHFA Program ObjectivesPart II: Substance Use Disorders

What is a substance use disorder?– The symptoms of substance dependence

The substances– Alcohol– Tobacco– Cannabis– Amphetamines– Ecstasy– Heroin

What causes substance use disorders? First aid for substance use disorders How to help if a person has overdosed Helpful resources for substance use disorders

MHFA Program Coalition Partners

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI California NAMI Sacramento

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH)

California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies (CCCMHA)

California Department of Education (CDE)

State/County/City Corrections Departments

State/County/City Police DepartmentsCommunity Service CentersCalifornia Department of Mental Health

(DMH) Sacramento County

Division of Mental Health (SacDHHS)

Prevention Institute (Oakland CA)Mental Health America (of Northern

California - Sacramento CA)California Institute for Mental Health

(CiMH)

Institute for Mental Health and Wellness Education (IMHWE) (at the California State University, Hayward)

The California Mental Health Care Management Program (CalMEND)

HealthyMinds.org Screening for Mental Health, Inc.

(SMH) Depression and Bipolar Support

Alliance (DBSA) Counseling Centers (I.e New Horizons

Counseling Center) Mental Health Facilities (i.e. Sutter

Center for Psychiatry) Primary Medical Care Clinics (Sutter

Health Facilities) University of California, Davis Medical

Center (UCDMC) California Association of Psychiatric

Technicians (CAPT) Mercy Health Education Resource

Center

Why Coalition Partners?

To conserve resources. To achieve a much more widespread

audience. To accomplish objectives beyond scope

of any one group/organization. For greater credibility. For more range of advice. For more perspectives to the lead

agency. To provide a forum of shared information. Can be a vital tool when planning,

implementing, and administering a proposed health education program!

Quick Guide to Successful Coalitions

1) Choose unifying issues.2) Understand and respect each group's self

interest.3) Respect each group's internal process. 4) Agree to disagree.5) Structure decision-making carefully. 6) Distribute credit fairly. 7) Give and take. 8) Develop a common strategy.9) Be strategic.10) To ensure consistency, send the same

representative to each coalition meeting.11) Formalize your coalition.

Key Coalition Partners1) National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI California NAMI Sacramento

2) National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare California Council of Community Mental Health

Agencies (CCCMHA)3) California Dept of Education (CDE) 4) State/County/City Corrections Departments5) State/County/City Police Departments

Community Service Centers6) California Department of Mental Health (DMH)

Sacramento County Division of Mental Health (SacDHHS)

7) Prevention Institute (Oakland CA)8) Mental Health America (of No Cal, Sacramento CA)9) California Institute for Mental Health (CiMH)10) Institute for Mental Health & Wellness Education (IMHWE) at the California State University, Hayward

Key Coalition PartnersNational Alliance on Mental Illness

(NAMI)Largest MH grassroots organization in USANAMI CaliforniaNAMI Sacramento (California)

Key concepts are essential to improving the wellness and quality of life of all persons affected by mental illness:RecoveryResiliencySupport

Their action areas:Public educationPeer Education and SupportRaising Awareness and Fighting StigmaState and Federal Advocacy

Key Coalition Partners: National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH)

Offers the largest MHFA certification program in U.S.Certifies community providers to implement MHFA in communities throughout the U.S. Assists with MHFA site development & plans to reach communities.All participating sites deliver the core 12-hour program:Tight credentialing to guarantee fidelity to the

original, tested modelMaintains the flexibility necessary to reach its

unique population needs & demographics.Envisions that MHFA will become as common as CPR and First Aid training during the next decade!

Key Coalition Partners: California Department

of Education (CDE)

“Although teachers are often the first adults to see that a student may be experiencing emotional distress, teachers do not have the professional knowledge or expertise to diagnose or treat mental health problems. Ignoring a student’s mental health needs, however, is not an option (CDE, 2003)."

Key Coalition Partners: State/County/City Corrections

Departments

“During the last decades... the number of mentally ill offenders

has increased... the number of inmates with severe

mental illness is unacceptably high... many of the cases are not identified

by the prison and probation system... and high relative crime rates among

mentally ill have been described in many studies (Sestoft, 2006)”.

Key Coalition Partners: State/County/City Police Departments

Departments

“Mentally ill persons are more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.

“More than 1/4 of persons with severe mental illness are victims of violent crime in a year...11x higher than that of the general population.

“It is estimated that nearly 3 million severely mentally ill people are crime victims each year in the US (Levin, 2005)."

Key Coalition PartnersThe California Department of Mental

Health (DMH)

Oversees the statewide delivery of mental health services at county level.

Assures compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.

Is a direct services agency. Is an agency of: Advocacy Education Innovation Outreach Oversight Understanding Monitoring Quality improvement

Key Coalition PartnersPrevention Institute

Works to:Promote mental health and wellbeing.Prevent mental health problems/illness.Support care/treatment of mental illness. Reduce stigma.

“Applying a primary prevention framework to mental health can support the care and treatment of those in need while also reducing the stigma associated with mental health problems (Prevention, 2009)”.

Key Coalition PartnersMental Health America

(aka National Mental Health Association)

Country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL live mentally healthier lives. Have more than 320 affiliates nationwide. One of their program goals is to educate the public about mental health. Mission is to:

Promote mental health, Prevent mental disorders, Achieve victory over mental illness by:

Advocacy Education Research Services

Key Coalition PartnersCalifornia Institute for Mental Health

(CiMH)

Establishes regional partnerships per Department of Mental Health’s “Five-Year Workforce Education & Training Plan”

Provide technical assistance and support in planning, development & ongoing implementation for each of the regional partnerships throughout California.

Serves as an employment and educational resource for the public mental health system.

Key Coalition PartnersInstitute for Mental Health and

Wellness Education At California State University, Hayward CAMission: to make education an essential community

partner in addressing issues in the mental health arena. What they do:

Mental health workforce development. Supported ed for CSUH students w/ MH issues. Public ed to reduce the stigmas of mental health

issues. Sponsors key committees in:

Providing information and resources about mental healthcare

Planning and implementing a yearly symposium "Suicide and Its Prevention (IMHWE, 2009).

Agencies in the US who have a MHFA program:

Community Mental Health Centers (Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS) Kitsap County, Bremerton, Washington) http://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org

The Workforce Diversity Network (WDN) http://www.workforcediversitynetwork.com/docs/Article_IntroducingMentalHealthFirstAid.pdf

Mental Health Association of Frederick County Maryland http://www.fcmha.org/publiceducationandadvocacy/index.php? p=MentalHealthFirstAidTraining

Gateway Healthcare (GHI) (Pawtucket RI) http://www.gatewayhealth.org/MentalHealthFirstAid.asp

NAMI Minnesota http://www.namihelps.org/blogs/mental-health-first-aid-training-for-crisis-providers.html

Bert Nash Center - Lawrence, Kansas http://www.bertnash.org/services/MentalHealthFirstAid.html

Community Counseling Centers of Chicago http://www.c4chicago.org/node/255

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Boulder, Colorado http://www.wiche.edu/mentalhealth/grand_rounds/MHFirstAid.asp

Referencesin order of slide appearance

#3 BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study). (2005). The Science of Mental Illness. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Science Education, NIH Publication Number 05-5482. National Institute of Mental Health, Center for Curriculum Development. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://science-education.nih.gov/supplements/nih5/Mental/guide/nih_mental_curr-supp.pdf

#4 - #15 Kitchener, B.A. and Jorm, A.F. (2002). Mental Health First Aid Manual. ORYGEN Research Centre, University of Melbourne. Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://www.mhfa.com.au/mhfa_manual.pdf

#16 Cohen, L., Baer, N., and Satterwhite, P. (2003). Developing Effective Coalitions: An Eight Step Guide. Prevention Institute, Oakland California. Retrieved April 26, 2009 from http://www.preventioninstitute.org/pdf/eightstep.pdf

#17 GSA Network. (2009). Coaltion building. Adapted from NGLTF’s “Comprehensive Manual for Campus Organizing” (Shepard, Yeskel, Outcalt – 1995). Retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://www.gsanetwork.org/resources/pdf/Coalition.pdf

#19 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) (2009). What is NAMI Fact Sheet. January 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=About_NAMI&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=58580

#20 National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH). (2009). About the Program: MHFA Course Description. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/cs/press_public/mental_health_first_aid_2/about_the_program/mhfa_course_description

#21 California Department of Education (CDE). (2003). Health Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Materials. California Department of Education, Sacramento, CA. Retrieved April 26, 2009 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/healthfw.pdf

Referencesin order of slide appearance

#22 Sestoft. D. (2006). Crime and mental illness: it is time to take action. World Psychiatry. June 2006; 5(2). Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1525117

#23 Levin, A. (2005). People with mental illness more often crime victims. Psychiatry News. September 2, 2005, 40(17). Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/40/17/16

#24 California Department of Mental Health (DMH). (2009). About the California Department of Mental Health (DMH). Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.dmh.ca.gov/About_DMH/default.asp

#25 Prevention Institute. (2008). Mental health and well-being. Prevention Institute: Mental Health. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://preventioninstitute.org/mental.html

#26 Mental Health America (MHA). (2009). We are Mental Health America!. Mental Health America: About us: Who we are. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/about-us

#27 Brailer, M. (2009). Workforce Development - Regional Partnerships. California Institute for Mental Health (CiMH). CiMH Bulletin. April 2009. 17, 2009 from http://www.cimh.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=glB1O%2ffYsqQ%3d&tabid=273&mid=1263

#28 Institute for Mental Health and Wellness Education (IMHWE) (2009). Institute for Mental Health and Wellness Education (IMHWE) at the California State. University, Hayward. Retrieved May 16, 2009 from http://www.sci.csueastbay.edu/IMHWE/