Transformation

Mental Health First Aid expanding in Missouri; state to test a new course targeting adults who work with youth

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.

RESPECT speakers participate in college course videoconference

It's one thing to share your personal life story in front of a group of people. But to share with people in remote locations on a six-site teleclass is another. Two RESPECT speakers from northwest Missouri -- one a veteran speaker and one on his first speaking engagement -- did just that and were cool, calm, and collected throughout the process.

The outing started out normally. The two speakers -- Mark and Steve -- went to speak at a Social Work class at Missouri Western State University. But when they arrived, they discovered the DSM Psychopathology class was to be video-conferenced to six sites: Kennett, Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, Warrensburg, Blue Springs, and Columbia, with 42 students in attendance statewide and a local instructor.

"They did a wonderful job!," said Scott Clark, staff development officer at Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center (NMPRC) in St. Joseph, where the two speakers are based. "We knew Mark would handle himself well . . . and did. He attached the lapel mic and said 'test, test' a couple of times and launched into his talk. Stacy (Downey) and I cannot say enough about Steve's performance. This was his first time out. His presentation went really well."

Colleges Embrace Mental Health Training

Washington, Aug. 25—An innovative mental health program is helping stem the rising tide of mental health issues among students at colleges and universities in the U.S. With a recent survey finding the emotional health of incoming freshmen at a record low, colleges are offering Mental Health First Aid to teach students, staff and faculty how to help someone with the signs and symptoms of mental illness or in a mental health crisis.

“It’s well documented that over the past 10 to 15 years, the number and severity of mental health issues on campuses has increased,” says Kim Leisey, PhD, associate vice president for student affairs at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), one of 10 colleges in Maryland that offers the program. “Given that most counseling centers are not staffed to do a lot of outreach, Mental Health First Aid is playing an increasingly larger role to help manage anxiety about mental health issues on campuses.”

 
The evidence-based training uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis, select interventions, and provide initial help. The training also addresses the risk factors and warning signs of specific illnesses like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders.
 

Supported Housing Summit scheduled for Sept. 7-8

 

The Missouri Department of Mental Health Housing Unit and the Missouri Housing Development Commission, in cooperation with the Office of Mental Health Transformation, is sponsoring a Housing Summit September 7 and 8, 2011, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Jefferson City.

The purpose of the summit is to facilitate the planning, development, and management of special needs and supportive housing in Missouri.

"We know that adequate housing and meaningful employment are at the heart of recovery for persons with mental health and addiction challenges," said Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Missouri Mental Health Transformation project director. "Having a place to call home is a critical part of every person's life, including the people we serve in the mental health community. A discussion of this important issue with input from all involved -- from developers to clinicians to consumers of mental health services -- can only help to improve the quality of life for us all."

Their is no cost to attend,but space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Expenses for lodging and incidentals are the responsibility of attendees. Lunch will be provided on Sept. 7 and breakfast on Sept. 8. All other meals are the responsibility of the attendees. For more information, including registration forms for individuals and exhibitors, visit the Missouri Housing Summit web page. For more information on housing in general, visit the Department of Mental Health Housing Unit Web site.

Communities of Hope Project helps address mental health issues in Polk and Stone counties

In the winter of 2010, eight agencies serving as support centers in their regions took on the task to implement the Communities of Hope grant offered through the Office of Transformation. The goal was to assess mental health needs and develop plans to address those needs in a designated county/community.

“It was more about mental health awareness than anything else,” said Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Transformation project director. “For the most part, when communities identify problems, they don’t associate those issues with mental health. The Communities of Hope process shines a mental health light on those issues and allows community leaders to see how focusing on mental health solutions can help solve some of these problems.”

Mental Health First Aid featured at national summit

Missouri's Mental Health First Aid initiative shared the spotlight with its national partners during the second annual National Summit for Mental Health First Aid Instructors May 1 in San Diego. Benton Goon, Missouri's representative on the National MHFA USA collaborative, reminded participants of the challenges of "living in the house of MHFA that we are building." Dottie Mullikin, Missouri's MHFA director, served on a panel sharing practical information on how to obtain funding for MHFA.

The state of Missouri, the state of Maryland, and the National Council for Community Behavioral Health Care are the founding partners of Mental Health First Aid USA.

 

Speakers find their "inner leader" in RESPECT Graduate Institute

The third phase of Missouri's RESPECT initiative has begun.

In phase one, RESPECT founder Joel Slack brought the message of RESPECT to Missouri, conducting seminars throughout the state, during which he shared his personal story of recovery from a mental illness and the role that respect played in that recovery. In phase two, Slack helped conduct RESPECT Institutes for Missourians living with mental illnesses, teaching them how to tell their own recovery stories. In telling those stories, the speakers not only educate their audiences to the realities of mental illnesses and that recovery is possible, they gain confidence and self esteem as they see faces change from confusion to understanding and empathy.

Now, in phase three -- the Graduate Institute -- some of those speakers are being helped to refine their stories to emphasize the importance of respect in the recovery process.

DMH Advisory Council chooses model for Peer Specialist training and certification

The Department of Mental Health's (DMH) Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, on behalf of its State Advisory Council, has researched and chosen a Peer Specialist training and certification model.  Based on the Council recommendations, the Division adopted the Appalachian Consulting Group “Georgia Model” for Peer Specialist training. The Division and the Office of Transformation are committed to following through on the Council recommendations to move the mental health system to a wellness model that empowers individuals to establish their personal mental health goals and manage both their mental health and their plan of care through education and supports.

Healthy IDEAS milestone reached: eight certified as instructors

In an effort to combat depression in older adults, Missouri has implemented an evidence-based  depression screening, education, and intervention initiative called Healthy IDEAS (Identifying Depression, Empowering Activities for Seniors). Six sites across the state are using Healthy IDEAS in their programming that serve elders.

On February 24, 2011, the Healthy IDEAS initiative in Missouri accomplished a major milestone.  Clinical coaches working with each of the Healthy IDEAS teams took part in a webinar conducted by the initiative's national training team. The purpose of the webinar was to train the participants as instructors for the two-day case manager training that is a key part of Healthy IDEAS. Upon completion of the webinar, each of the participants became certified Healthy IDEAS instructors.

Maryland announces plan to make Mental Health First Aid a staple at community colleges

Citing the tragedy at Tucson as a motivating factor, the state of Maryland has announced plans to train people in Mental Health First Aid at all of the state's community colleges. The plans were announced in a television news story by WUSA 9NewsNow.

Maryland's decision to train people in community colleges coincides with a similar plan in Missouri by St. Louis Community College to incorporate the course on its campuses. Joseph Worth, Ph.D., associate professor of Counseling at the Florissant Valley campus -- himself a Mental Health First Aid instructor -- is spearheading the effort to train staff as instructors to spread the information. Eight other colleges and universities in the state each have at least one Mental Health First Aid instructors among their staffs.