Mental Health First Aid is taking shape in Missouri, five years after it was introduced in the state through the efforts of staff of the Mental Health Transformation grant, awarded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The five-year grant will wrap up by March, and sustaining Mental Health First Aid is a priority.
“Our main focus with Mental Health First Aid has been twofold,” said Benton Goon, co-chair of the state Transformation Working Group and Missouri’s representative on the national Mental Health First Aid USA planning team. “We wanted to train enough instructors so that the course is available in all areas of the state, and we wanted to initially target training to groups who are most receptive and where it could be most useful.”
Those objectives seem to have paid off. The state now has 183 certified instructors of Mental Health First Aid statewide, and – in addition to mental health agencies – higher education agencies and faith-based organizations have become partners in the effort to spread the word.
Continue reading "Mental Health First Aid expanding in Missouri; state to test a new course targeting adults who work with youth" »
Washington, DC, Oct. 5, 2011 — If your friend, co-worker or family member was suffering from an anxiety disorder, would you recognize the signs? Would you know how to help?
With October 2-8 being Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Health First Aid USA is encouraging people to learn the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Affecting more than 18 percent of U.S. adults (55 million people), it’s the most common mental disorder.
“Everyone experiences anxiety at some time, but being able to recognize an anxiety disorder early on could have a huge impact on someone’s life,” says Linda Rosenberg, the President and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, one of the three national entities that runs the Mental Health First Aid program. “If not treated, people with anxiety disorders are more likely to have negative outcomes later in life, including depression, alcohol and drug dependence and even suicide.”
Continue reading "First Aid For Anxiety Disorders" »
With help and support of the St. Francois County Community Partnership and DMH staff, the St. Francois County Commission voted unanimously to officially form the St. Francois County Mental Health Board on August 30. The formation of the board will help solidify the Partnership's efforts to call attention to the mental health needs of the county's citizens.
The county commission currently is seeking candidates for the Mental Health Board of Directors.
"It's exciting to see that the needs and resource assessments and statistics that were gathered will now be put to good use," said Candy Zarcone, Special Programs Consultant for the St. Francois County Community Partnership. "I believe good changes are ahead!"
Continue reading "St. Francois County formation of Mental Health Board will help sustain Community of Hope efforts" »
A toolkit to provide housing resources and information for agencies that serve people with mental disabilities has been completed and is now available on line. The compilation of the Housing Toolkit, funded under Missouri's Mental Health Transformation initiative, was completed as the product of a contract with Places for People -- a St. Louis agency recognized as a leader in providing housing for people with mental illnesses -- and led by its now former executive director, Francie Broderick.
According to Broderick, the document "is not meant to be an exhaustive or complete list of all mental health supported housing or residential programs in Missouri. Rather, I have attempted to describe different models and different approaches used by providers across the state."
Continue reading "DMH/Transformation Release Housing Toolkit" »
Washington, DC, Sept. 15, 2011 — The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council) announced today it is awarding community dissemination grants to 18 organizations to support Mental Health First Aid programs nationwide.
Introduced in the U.S. in 2008, Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to help someone with the signs and symptoms of mental illness or in a mental health crisis. To date, nearly 30,000 people have been trained through a network of 1,300 certified instructors across the country.
“These grants will help instructors expand Mental Health First Aid offerings in communities across the country,” said Linda Rosenberg, the National Council’s President and CEO. “This simple yet powerful program holds the key to combating stigma, increasing health literacy and building a community’s capacity to reach out to struggling neighbors and families.”
Continue reading "National Council Awards Mental Health First Aid USA Challenge Grants" »
Ten years ago, the fabric of our country was incontrovertibly changed with the tragic events of 9/11. The staff, board, and members of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare remember the lives that were lost and honor those who remain. We also honor the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight to keep our country strong, safe, and free.
The tenth anniversary of 9/11 drives home the pervasive and debilitating impact of trauma. Anniversaries of disasters and traumatic events can be “healing” or they can be “triggers,” reminders of the reactions one had to the original event. Even ten years later, one can re-experience what it was like to flee the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, or — in Shanksville, Pennsylvania — to smell, taste, and see the smoke and debris. The closer one was to the epicenter of the tragic event, the more serious the impact.
Continue reading "Remembering 9/11, renewing the commitment to trauma-informed care" »
