As seen in the Spring 2007 issue of Open Minds
Improving knowledge, reducing stigma
Mental Health First Aid Canada is changing the way we look at mental health, one person at a time
A little prevention can go a long way in the mental health world. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, depression costs the Canadian economy $30 billion each year in direct and indirect costs. While lost productivity is a concern, lost lives are even more devestating. Approximately 4,000 Canadians die by suicide every year.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Members of the community are taking note of these statistics and are doing something about it. Teachers, front-line mental health professionals, the general public, human resource officers and people from many other disciplines are training in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Canada, a program spearheaded by the Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB).
"MHFA Canada is like any other first aid program, teaching participants how to preserve life, provide help, promote recovery and provide comfort," said Ruby Brown, AMHB's vice president of Advocacy, Innovation and Monitoring. "The major difference is that we're helping them identify signs of mental distress rather than physical distress."
The goal of the course is threefold. The first goal is to educate participants and help them identify signs of mental health problems in themselves, co-workers, friends, family, and even strangers.
Secondly, the program teaches participants how to support the individual and to help seek appropriate treatment for them. The MHFA program does not train individuals to become counsellors, doctors or crisis team members. It does, however, educate participants on where to turn for appropriate, professional help in their community.
The third goal of the program is to reduce the stigma of mental illness. While one in three people will have a mental health problem in their lifetime, some estimates suggest that more than 50 per cent of them will not seek treatment.
There are two streams of training available - the instructors stream and the general stream. The five-day instructors' training allows participants to become instructors, and teach the program to others. Instructors are pre-screened and must have a combination of education and/or experience in mental health and facilitation in order to qualify.
In contrast, the 12-hour general course trains participants to be mental health first aiders. It is an educational course for any person from any background. No experience in mental health is necessary.
The MHFA Canada curriculum covers many topics, including substance use disorders, depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis. The course also covers crisis first aid, which includes suicidal behaviour, overdoses, panic attacks and more.
The curriculum is based on Australia and Scotland's Mental Health First Aid program. All the course material has been adapted for Canada. Mental health professionals including psychiatric nurses, researchers, doctors and therapists have helped guide the development of MHFA Canada curriculum. Despite the serious content, the tone of the course is fun and interactive. There is plenty of discussion, group work and hands-on activities which will help participants apply their new skills in a real-life setting.
"I found that the MHFA Canada course was an excellent primer on how to be a first responder to someone experiencing mental health problems. It's a fantastic way for someone without a mental health background to learn," said Greg Godard, the Family School Liaison Worker in Prairie Rose School Division. "Every workplace should have someone who is trained in Mental Health First Aid."