This week I had the opportunity to participate in the Mental Health First Aid course led by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help provided by a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The course aims to improve mental health literacy and provide the skills and knowledge to help people better manager potential or developing mental health problems in themselves, a family member, friend or colleague.

While some organizations consider MHFA training mandatory, and others may volun-tell a handful of their employees to take it, I should flag as you’re reading this that my participation came from my own motivation and desire to improve the supports offered for mental health in my direct team and organization.

Why?

As a mental health advocate both in and outside of my office, much of what I know and what I share comes from both a place of personal experience and a place of learning. Talking about my own mental health, and being an ear for others to do the same, has really empowered me to make mental health a priority – one I now actively try to promote wherever I go.

In the public service, when we want to support our employee’s personal development, we sign them up for courses and training that improve their skill set and knowledge in any particular area. But why do we hesitate in sending our employees to training that would support their mental health and ability to support the mental health of others?

Raising awareness is fundamental to the conversation on mental health, but so too are courses like these that enable us to understand the signs of mental illness in ourselves and in others.

The two-day course offered a basic understanding of five key areas:

·      mental health and mental health problems;

·      substance-related disorders;

·      mood-related disorders;

·      anxiety and trauma-related disorders; and

·      psychosis disorders.

While there is certainly much more that could be discussed on mental health, this course provided a good starting point for those that may not be familiar with the spectrum of mental illness.

My particular class was filled with employees from various sectors and various levels – from admins, analysts, senior advisors and managers. The format offered plenty of opportunity for discussion and questions, which proved to be immensely valuable as those in the room began to hear firsthand from those living with or supporting someone with a mental illness.

As many of you already know, I have and continue to struggle with anxiety. If you didn’t know this, chances are you would likely never know unless I told you. If you asked me four years ago if I would have shared this truth publicly, the answer would have been no. Stigma prevents so many of us from opening up and sharing our story, but it is extremely powerful when we do. This course proved this point to be true and offered more than just knowledge but a whole lot of perspective too!

Perspective is not always something that can be bundled in a course and shared with students but the honesty and bravery of the instructor – who shared her own personal story – made it possible for others to do the same.

There’s so much I could say about why I would recommend MHFA training to any one reading this now, but instead, I thought I would bundle up some key takeaways and recommendations that I think would be worth reading.

Key Takeaways

·      MHFA teaches people to recognize symptoms of mental health problems; provide initial help; and guide a person towards appropriate professional help.

·      The Five Basic Actions of MHFA, better known as ALGEE, is a useful acronym that can assist Mental Health First Aiders in a number of situations.

Assess the risk of suicide and/or harm
Listen non-judgmentally
Give reassurance
Encourage professional support
Encourage other supports

·      The tools offered to: help someone who has taken an overdose; ask about suicide; help someone who is having a panic attack or a person who has experienced a traumatic event; and how to help a person having a psychotic episode; proved extremely valuable in building my tool kit as a Mental Health First Aider.

·      You can be “listening” and then you can be “really listening” – teaching people how to be non-judgemental listeners is an important skill that will enable more conversations on mental illness.

·      If you are a federal public servant, there are many resources available to you including the Employee Assistant Program – take advantage of this resource if you need to talk to someone; it is completely confidential and free.

Recommendations

I would love to see the MHFA as a mandatory course for all supervisors and managers within the public service (and private sector too!).

Managers can take many shapes and many forms – some are born leaders, while others are simply following the promotion ladder. As a result, managing people can vary quite substantially across the public sector. This course is something I believe every manager should have on their tool belt to equip them to manage their teams effectively and to serve as an example of leadership on mental health.

Food for Thought

In Canada, 1 in 5 people will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.

Imagine if 1 in 5 people were Mental Health First Aiders – what type of impact would this create?

I think a strong one.