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Author Archive: July 2019

Voices of Mental Health First Aid: Youth Mental Health First Aid Gave Me Hope

May 21, 2021
In December 2020, I took a Youth Mental Health First Aid class. This training teaches parents, teachers and other adults how to support young people with mental health challenges, including how to use nonjudgmental listening skills and how to approach a young person and encourage...
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: By Being Observant, You Can Change Someone’s Life

May 19, 2021
Being a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor fits perfectly with where I’m at personally and professionally. Working in the largest psychiatric hospital in Texas – with a staff of more than 900 – I see how many people really, truly care about other people, but don’t know what else they can do on top of day-to-day patient care. Thanks to MHFA, we’re establishing a staff support system where we...
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: One County’s MHFA Experience

May 17, 2021
“I didn’t want to go to the [Mental Health First Aid] training, but I did. I never thought I would use any of the information or remember it, but I did shortly after the training. My friend had been struggling with depression....
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: You Can Be a Lifeline

May 14, 2021
Taking Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, being a First Aider, has changed me. I’ve been with Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health (SYBH) for 25 years. SYBH provides services to individuals and families who are experiencing serious or ongoing mental health and/or substance use disorders...
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: teen Mental Health First Aid Taught Me How to Help My Friends

May 12, 2021
How do you help someone who is struggling? How do you help them without making assumptions about what they are going through, and without making it worse?   These are all questions that I learned the answers to during the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) class.   tMHFA teaches that teens prefer to tell other teens about what they...
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: Why I Teach Mental Health First Aid

May 10, 2021
Brandon was an outgoing, fun-loving and enjoyable co-worker whose life ended abruptly after a night of heavy drinking. His death had a profound impact on our staff as we learned he had been living with a mental health challenge and substance use that had gone unrecognized.   We serve...
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Voices of Mental Health First Aid: Changing the End of the Story

May 7, 2021
As Executive Director of CASA for Kids of South Central Texas, I feel it is vital to continue to grow with our staff and volunteers, so I planned Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for our staff, volunteers and community for Spring 2020. Then COVID-19 changed everything and...
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How to #BeTheDifference with MHFA this Mental Health Awareness Month

May 6, 2021
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and especially after the events of the past 12-plus months, it’s crucial that we equip ourselves with strategies and tools to take care of our mental health. Less than half (44%) of U.S. adults...
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Inspiring Hope as a Mental Health First Aider

April 21, 2021
The past year has been anything but ordinary – the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, natural disasters and more have tested our resilience. While it can be difficult to remain hopeful during uncertain times, it’s important to believe we can overcome...
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ALGEE: How MHFA Helps You Respond in Crisis and Non-crisis Situations

April 15, 2021
We learn how to help ourselves and each other if an injury or illness happens – pressure to stop bleeding, ibuprofen for a fever, going to the doctor for medication. But if someone you know is experiencing a mental health...
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National Council for Mental Wellbeing Appoints a Panel of Expert Advisors to Expand Mental Health Research in the United States

April 9, 2021
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing today announced the appointment of an independent advisory group consisting of some of the nation’s top behavioral health academics, who will lead research to deepen the understanding of how Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)...
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Moving Your Body Can Help Protect Your Mental Health

April 5, 2021
It’s no secret that staying active benefits your long-term physical health, but many probably don’t think about the mental health benefits of moving your body. Talking about exercising can elicit a number of responses (groans or cheers, mostly) but in...
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