Mental Health First Aid: Teaching Everyone How to Recognize and Respond to Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health Challenges
What would you do if you saw someone having a heart attack? Most people would probably start CPR or call 9-1-1.
Now, what would you do if you saw someone having a panic attack or showing signs of alcohol use disorder? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone.
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing is working to change that through its Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program. Created in 2001 and brought to the United States in 2008, Mental Health First Aid is a course designed to teach people how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. The training provides the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing mental health or substance use problems or experiencing a crisis.
The evidence-based, early-intervention course is available virtually, hybrid and in-person and uses community-specific scenarios, activities, and videos to teach the skills needed to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges as well as how to provide initial support until they are connected with appropriate professional help.
Tramaine EL-Amin
“MHFA addresses barriers to mental health care through early intervention and equipping people with the knowledge and skills to recognize early warning signs,” said Tramaine EL-Amin, Vice President, Mental Health First Aid. “It also normalizes mental health conversations and encourages an open dialogue about mental health, reducing the stigma associated with seeking help. We teach people how to access and navigate local mental health services and provide information about available support options.”
According to EL-Amin, communities implementing MHFA training become more aware of mental health challenges, and First Aiders become better equipped to identify and provide initial support to individuals in need. More than four million people across the United States have been trained in MHFA.
MHFA Training for Military, Veterans and Their Families
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing administers population-specific MHFA training to help trainees recognize and respond to mental health symptoms in rural communities, older adults, first responders, youth and teens, service professionals, Spanish speakers, and other unique groups.
One unique MHFA training program targets those seeking to help and support military personnel, veterans and their families. Military, veterans and their families face high barriers to mental health and substance use care. This, despite the significant need for such care:
- 1 in 4 active-duty members show signs of a mental health condition (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
- The suicide rate for veterans is 57% greater than non-veterans (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs).
- 88% of veterans’ caregivers report increased stress or anxiety (National Alliance for Caregiving).
The training addresses the relevance of mental health to military culture, information on risk factors such as mental and physical trauma faced by many service members and their families, how to break down stigma, and how to reach out to those who suffer in silence and are reluctant to seek help.
Key components of the MHFA training for military, veterans and their families include:
- A discussion of military culture and its relevance to the topic of mental health.
- A discussion of the specific risk factors faced by many service members and their families such as mental and physical trauma, stress, and separation.
- Instruction on how to apply the MHFA ALGEE action plan in several scenarios designed specifically for service members, their families and those who support them. The five-step ALGEE calls for trainees to:
- Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
- Listen
- Give reassurance and information.
- Encourage appropriate professional help.
- Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
- A review of common mental health resources for service members, their families, and those who support them.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to executing the MHFA ALGEE action plan and it is not necessary to use every single step to provide support,” EL-Amin said. “Staying calm is crucial when offering support. The goal is not to diagnose someone or solve the problem, but instead to provide support and information.”
MHFA Trainers Share Their Experiences
Over 16,500 people have been certified in MFHA for military, veterans and their families. Instructors who teach them are certified First Aiders who receive in-depth training on facilitating the MHFA curriculum, which includes self-paced pre-work, a written exam, and a presentation that evaluates each candidate’s ability to present the MHFA course to a variety of audiences. Once certified, Instructors must teach the course at least three times per year to maintain their certification.
Tony Campbell became a certified MHFA Instructor while on active duty with his U.S. Army Reserve unit. He has since become a National Trainer and has trained thousands of military, civilian law enforcement, government personnel and other individuals.
“I used to yell a lot to get my point across, especially because of my military background,” he said. “My parenting mentality used to be a ‘do it because I say so’ one. MHFA taught me there are more effective ways to communicate that don’t involve yelling, such as how to de-escalate a conversation instead of talking over the other person.”
Added National Trainer Derrick Sanders, “I’m a deputy sheriff, Army veteran, crisis intervention specialist, and a hostage negotiator. But I am first and foremost a Mental Health First Aider. As a law enforcement officer, I learned that every person we communicate with when responding to a call has family members, friends or loved ones who want to understand the situation. MHFA isn’t just helpful for the people involved in an incident. Everybody has somebody who may be impacted.”
Get Trained, Become an Instructor
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing encourages everyone to become trained in Mental Health First Aid. Courses are available across the country. To find one near you, click here.
To learn more about becoming an MHFA Instructor, click here.
“Talking about mental health was almost taboo until recently and is still off limits in some areas of our military,” said Campbell. “Those attending MHFA training appreciate having these discussions and understanding the need to decrease stigma in our population because our military jobs often encompass high levels of stress and other challenges. Often, these experiences are re-lived along with new stressors as we transition to the civilian world. We must be able to support one another to reduce suicide, help someone in need, and learn to take better care of ourselves.”
