Mental Health First Aid USA
United Advocates For Children and Families
2035 Hurley Way, suite 290
Sacramento, CA 95825
WWW.uacf4hope.org
What Is Mental Health First Aid?
 Help offered to a person developing a mental
health problem or experiencing a mental
health 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
What You Learn
 Overview of mental health problems





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
 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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Spectrum of Mental Health
Interventions
Why Mental Health First Aid?

Mental health problems are common

Stigma is associated with mental health problems

Professional help is not always on hand

Individuals with mental health problems often do
not seek help

Many people…
 are not well informed about mental health
problems
 do not know how to respond
Mental Health First Aid
• Standard Adult Version
• Youth Version
• Spanish Language
Version
• Supplemental Modules:
Rural; Veterans; Public
Safety; Higher
Education; Faith Based;
Older Adults
• National policy and
media attention
• Partnership with
Maryland and Missouri
State Governments
Program Milestones
 Created in Australia in 2001
(University of Melbourne)
 Currently in 17 countries
 Piloted in the U.S. in 2008
 Youth program Pilot in 2012
Evidenced Effectiveness

Four published randomized control trials and a
qualitative study (in Australia)





Increases mental health literacy
Expands individuals’ knowledge of how to help
someone in crisis
Connects individuals to needed services
Reduces stigma
Study on 33 US college campuses 2009-2011


Increased mental health literacy
Reduction in social distance (decreased stigma)
Evidenced Effectiveness

Kitchener BA, et al. Mental health first aid training in a
workplace setting: A randomized and controlled trial
[ISRCTNI3249129]. BMC Psychiatry. 2004;4(23):1-8.

Jorm AF, Kitchener BA, Fischer JA, Cvetkovski S.
(2010). Mental health first aid training by e-learning: a
randomized controlled trial. Australian and New
Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44(12):1072-81.

Speer, N., Eisenberg, D., Hahn, E., Brunwasser, S., &
Xu, S. Effects of a peer-based gatekeeper training
program on college mental health outcomes.
[Manuscript in Preparation]. 2011.
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Vision
By 2020, Mental Health First
Aid in the USA will be as
common as CPR and First Aid
More than 170,000 First Aiders in the US
Trained by 4,200 Instructors
ALGEE-OMETER
AK
1,301
(37)
WA
4,033 (68)
MT
422 (8)
OR
2,321 (84)
1,380 (20)
NV
CA
UT
988 (31)
22,823
(587)
IA
NE
339 (30)
547 (18)
7,639 (75)
CO
8,982 (202)
KS
6,222 (97)
AZ
5,432 (122)
PERCENTAGE OF
POPULATION TRAINED
WI
630
(20)
82 (16)
OK
NM
1,772 (27)
3,870 (81)
MO
IL
8,733
(174)
5,875
(135)
1,164
(57)
1082
(17)
TX
LA
7,418
(258)
293
(4)
PA
DE
VA
0 (2)
3,370 (112)
MS
1,649
(71)
1,212
NC
2,811 (90)
(29)
MD
4,783 (308)
DC
1,688 (52)
SC
AL
GA
934
(43)
3,580
(87)
260 (8)
FL
GUAM
2,483
(127)
37 (1)
Less than 0.01%
PR
No data
228 (2)
HI
Reported through March 2014
7 (1)
CT
3,075 (89)
NJ
1,255 (113)
1,819
(94) WV
612 (14)
TN
RI
MA
1,195 (43)
395 (8)
8,935 (279)
OH
IN
42 (2)
3,170 (129)
KY
AR
0.04%-0.099%
0.01%-0.024%
234
(7)
NY
MI
12,685
(238)
0.1% or more
0.025%-0.039%
ME
NH
2,349
(21)
SD
WY
423 (47)
MN
423 (4)
ID
544 (12)
VT
ND
77 (17)
Workplace Impact of Mental Illness

Major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability in
the U.S. for ages 15-44

An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older —
about one in four adults —suffer from a diagnosable mental
disorder in a given year

Serious mental illnesses (SMIs), which afflict about 6% of
American adults, cost society $193.2 billion a year in lost
earnings

Behavioral health issues cause 217 million missed workdays
annually

Depression was identified as the most costly health condition
among a group of 10 large employers when combining costs
from medical, pharmacy, absenteeism, and presenteeism
(Source: 2010 Disability Management Employer Coalition Report)
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MHFA Public Policy

MHFA in President Obama’s Report:
Recommendations from the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Make Sure Students and Young Adults Get Treatment for Mental
Health Issues: Three quarters of mental illnesses appear by the age of
24, yet less than half of children with diagnosable mental health
problems receive treatment. To increase access to mental health
services for young people, we should:

Provide “Mental Health First Aid” training to help teachers and
staff recognize signs of mental illness in young people and refer
them to treatment.

Support young adults ages 16 to 25, who have the highest rates of
mental illness but are the least likely to seek help, by giving
incentives to help states develop innovative approaches.

Help break the cycle of violence in schools facing pervasive
violence with a new, targeted initiative to provide their students with
needed services like counseling.

Train 5,000 more social workers, counselors, and
psychologists, with a focus on those serving students and young
adults.
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MHFA Public Policy

April 19, 2013: US Senate passed Harkin/Alexander MH
Amendment (vote of 95-2) – which included authorization for
mental health awareness training grant program at SAMHSA
(modeled after Mental Health First Aid)

Mental Health First Aid Act

State Legislative Action: Arizona, Virginia, Texas, Illinois,
Michigan, Florida, California, Maryland, Colorado

States with Pending Legislation: Florida, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington

Federal Legislative Action: $15 million FY 2014
appropriation; FY 2015 request $15 million

Toolkit for State Legislative Options
: To date, the Act has
15 bipartisan Senate cosponsors, and 46 bipartisan House
cosponsors.
(H.R. 274) (S.153)
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Mental Health First Aid in the News
January 8, 2014 | by Jennie Grabel
What has changed since Jan. 8, 2011, in Tucson and
beyond?
January 2, 2014 | by Patrick Skahill
A "First-Aid" Response to Mental Illness
December 27, 2013 | by Kathleen Megan
After Newtown, Building A Stronger System Of Mental
Health Services
October 13, 2013 | by T. Rees Shapiro
Mental Health Program Helps Fairfax County Teens
Cope
March 12, 2012 | by Kim Painter
Classes Teach ‘First Aid' for Mental Health Crises
October 18, 2011 | For Your Health
Mental Health First Aid USA
For More Information:
www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org
info@mentalhealthfirstaid.org
(202) 684-7457
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