Transcript MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

Mental Health First Aid:
An Introduction
Rebecca Farley
National Council for Behavioral Health
November 19, 2013
@GASCB
@MHFirstAidUSA
#housing
@nationalcouncil
#mentalhealth
@BeccaCFarley
The National Council: Serving and
Leading
 Represent 2,100 organizations that provide
community mental health and substance
abuse treatment services
 National voice for legislation, regulations,
policies, and practices that protect and
expand access to effective mental health
and addiction services
 Exist in partnership with state associations
and provider organizations
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Afternoon calisthenics
 Who is a healthcare provider or staff?
 Who is a landlord or housing staff?
 Any other social service providers?
 Who has ever come in contact with a
person who has mental health or
substance use disorder?
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U.S. Adults with a Mental Disorder in Any One Year
Type of Mental Disorder
Anxiety disorder
% Adults
19.1
.
Major depressive disorder
6.8
.
Substance use disorder
8.0
.
Bipolar disorder
2.8
.
Eating disorders
2.1
.
Schizophrenia
0.45
.
Any mental disorder
19.6
.
Only 41% of people with a mental illness use mental health services in any given year
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Mental illness and homelessness
percent
Proportion of people who are chronically homeless who have a
mental health condition
Source: SAMHSA Homelessness Resource Center
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Mental illness and homelessness
percent
Proportion of people with mental illness who are chronically
homeless and have a co-occurring substance use disorder
Source: SAMHSA Homelessness Resource Center
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Among mothers who are homeless…
 Over 90% have
experienced physical or
sexual abuse
 Two-thirds have histories
of domestic violence, and…


Three times the rate of
PTSD
Twice the rate of
drug/alcohol dependence
 Half have experienced
major depression
Source: SAMHSA Homelessness Resource Center
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What does recovery look like?
“Recovery is the process in which people
are able to live, work, learn, and participate
fully in their communities.”
“For some, this is the ability to live a fulfilling
and productive life despite a disability.”
“For others, recovery implies the reduction
or complete remission of symptoms.”
— President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
vii
Recovery is possible…
“We’ve seen what open warmth can do to
transform the lives of people in the
deepest despair. We’ve learned that
people with mental illnesses and
addictions can recover and live fulfilled
lives in their communities… People don’t
recover in isolation, they recover in a
community.”
–Linda Rosenberg, President & CEO,
National Council for Behavioral Health
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…but obstacles remain
 Little new money for MH/SUD
 Health reform promised increased access
to care, but not all states participating
 Community resources available, but gap
between need and linkage to services
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Mental Health First Aid
• More than
130,000 trained
• 3,975+ instructors
• National policy
and media
attention
• Partnership with
Maryland and
Missouri State
Governments
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What Is Mental Health First Aid?
 Help offered to a person developing a mental
health or substance abuse problem or
experiencing a crisis
 Given until appropriate treatment and support
are received or until the crisis resolves
 Not a substitute for counseling, medical care,
peer support or treatment
Spectrum of Mental Health Interventions
How does Mental Health First Aid
help?

MH/SUD conditions are common
 Stigma and discrimination are associated with
MH/SUD problems

Professional help is not always on hand
 Individuals with MH/SUD conditions often do not
seek help or know where to get help

Many people…
 are not well informed about MH/SUD conditions
 do not know how to respond
 do not know what community resources are
available
But specifically, how does it help in
supported housing?
 Provides tools for landlords and staff to:



Identify clients/tenants who may be
experiencing difficulties due to a MH/SUD
condition
Know how to engage constructively with
those clients/tenants and de-escalate
crisis situations
Know what resources and professional
help are available in the community
 Can help improve landlord/tenant relations
and stable community living
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What You Learn
 Overview of mental health problems

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Depressive/Mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Disorders in which psychosis occurs
Substance use disorders
Eating disorders
 Mental Health First Aid for crisis situations
 Mental Health First Aid for non-crisis situations
MHFA Action Plan: ALGEE
 Assess for risk of




suicide or harm
Listen nonjudgmentally
Give reassurance and
information
Encourage appropriate
professional help
Encourage self-help
and other support
strategies
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MHFA in Georgia
 Held first MHFA class
in Georgia in May
2010
 Number of certified
MHFA instructors in
GA: 101
 Number of certified
Mental Health First
Aiders in GA: 2,926
 Number of MHFA
courses that have
taken place in GA: 182
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MHFA: Overview of Research and Evidence

Proven efficacy: Five published studies in Australia show MHFA
saves lives, improves the mental health of individuals
administering care and those receiving it, expands knowledge of
mental illnesses and their treatments, increases the services
provided and reduces overall stigma by improving mental health
literacy. https://www.mhfa.com.au/cms/evaluation-publications/

Evidence-base: MHFA is now listed in the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of
Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). NREPP is a
searchable database of mental health and substance abuse
interventions to help the public find programs and practices that
may best meet their needs and learn how to implement them in
their communities. http://nrepp.samhsa.gov/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=321

National Efforts: In Alaska, Chicago, Colorado, Philadelphia,
Kansas and other cities and states across the country, academic
institutions and other organizations are partnering to evaluate the
impact of MHFA in their communities.
Mental Health First Aid in the News
October 10, 2011 | Morning Edition | by Kelly Weiss
Mental First Aid: How To Help In An Emotional Crisis
October 18, 2011 | Talk of the Nation | by Neal Conan
Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace
January 23, 2011 | by Michael Winerip
Positives With Roots In Tragedy On Campus
October 18, 2011 | For Your Health
January 18, 2011 | by Rachel Saslow
Shooting in Tucson Sparks Interest in ‘Mental Health
First Aid' Courses
March 12, 2012 | by Kim Painter
Classes Teach ‘First Aid' for Mental Health Crises
Mental Health First Aid USA
For More Information:
www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org
[email protected]
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Federal and State
Policy Update
Mental Health First Aid Act
(S. 157/H.R. 274)

$20 million in grants for MHFA training programs
 Eligible entities: states, political subdivisions of
states, tribes, tribal organizations, nonprofits
 Grants will be distributed across geographical
regions, with a focus on rural areas
 15 bipartisan Senate cosponsors; 46 bipartisan
House cosponsors
Rep. Ron Barber,
D-AZ
Rep. Lynn Jenkins,
R-KS
Sen. Mark Begich,
D-AK
Sen. Kelly Ayotte,
R-NH
Mental Health Awareness &
Improvement Act (S. 689)



Reauthorizes existing mental health programs
(suicide prevention, child trauma, etc.)
Provides $20 million for “mental health awareness
training”
 Defined as evidence-based programs for
recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental
illness, providing education regarding treatment
resources available in the community, and the
safe de-escalation of crisis situations
22 bipartisan cosponsors in Senate; no House
companion bill
Federal budget
 $15 million proposed for Youth Mental
Health First Aid
 Goal: reach 750,000 students,
teachers, and other people
who work with youth
 Budget unlikely to pass this
year
Toolkit in Review
Contents:
 Building a Coalition of Support
 Program Description and Research
 Choosing the Mechanism for Change:
Sample Language
 Tools to Build Your Case: Sample
Legislative Letters of Support, Media
Outreach, One-Pagers, Talking Points,
Public Speaking Tips
 Testimonials
Vision
By 2020, Mental Health First
Aid in the USA will be as
common as CPR and First Aid
Questions?
 Rebecca Farley, MPH
Director, Policy and Advocacy
[email protected]
 Website:
www.thenationalcouncil.org
 Blog:
www.thenationalcouncil.org/
capitol-connector/