Program helps people suffering from mental health crises

Learning how to respond and react to someone who is going through a mental health crisis can be as critical as knowing how to perform CPR.

Desma Reno, local nurse, gerontologist and former educator, taught a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course Monday, Sept. 18, at Cape Girardeau Public Library representing Area Health Education Center (AHEC).

MHFA teaches people a concrete action plan for starting a conversation and getting somebody the support they need, whether that's treatment or just a non judgmental listening ear.

Reno explained how MHFA was modeled after CPR, how both are of the same nature and can save lives.

"When I was in school in the '70s, nurses and doctors and EMTs were the only professionals that could do CPR. Over time, cardiac incidents had risen and became (the) No. 1 reason for death. That's when CPR went to the grassroots. They thought, 'Let's train people with CPR at a basic level so that they can start helping if they recognize the symptoms of a cardiac incident and then they can call for help to get the professionals there,'" Reno said.

In the same manner, experts who then were the only professionals to know how to react to a mental health crisis, started extending their knowledge to more people after a growth in the number of mental health challenges and crises.

Mental Health First Aid was created in Australia in 2000 by Betty Kitchener, an educator and mental health consumer, and professor Tony Jorm, a mental health researcher.

In 2008, the National Council, The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Missouri Department of Mental Health brought Mental Health First Aid to the United States, with the goal of making Mental Health First Aid training as common as CPR.

National Council for Mental Wellbeing then housed the program. The Council has certified hundreds of thousands of mental health first aiders so far and is aiming to reach 2 million people nationally, Reno said.

Just like CPR, MHFA has its own action plan for first aiders who encounter signs and symptoms of mental health challenges. The action plan is called ALGEE and stands for:

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm;
• Listen nonjudgmentally;
• Give reassurance and information;
• Encourage appropriate professional help;
• Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

Reno explained these strategies do not have to be followed linearly. Any of the strategies, on its own or in a combination with others, can be applied by first aiders based on their assessment. "You may have a moment with someone who just needs someone to listen. Just be a good listener and let them talk about whatever it is and then they're fine and they just move on. It's not that they're in a crisis, they're just having a moment," she said.

Mental health first aiders do not diagnose or treat themselves and others. They observe changes in behaviors, offer a nonjudgmental listening ear and serve as a vital link to early intervention, Reno said.

The stigma around the mental health conditions is the main reason people hide their issues and delay seeking help. But, Mental Health First Aid can reduce the stigma, she said. Stigma involves prejudice and discrimination toward people with mental health challenges.

"Research indicates that stigma has an impact on individuals in all communities but particularly rural communities. Compared to individuals in urban communities, individuals in rural communities may hold more negative attitudes and beliefs about individuals with mental health challenges," she said.

Understanding that effective treatments are available may reduce stigma and encourage a person to seek help.

Mental health challenges can be as serious and critical as physical challenges. However, the two have not been receiving the same amount of attention and resources. Mental Health First Aid aims to provide more resources for those living with mental health conditions through education, Reno said.

"We are trying to bring this to a place where we support folks who have either physical or mental challenge in the same way," she added.

According to the program's course book, a 2018 study of the Mental Health USA shows the program:

• reduced stigma around mental illness;
• increased participant knowledge about mental health;
• raised participant confidence to use the MHFA five-step action plan.

For more information regarding future courses on mental health, contact Reno at desma.semoahec@gmail.com or (573) 979-2468.