College and university students have unique stress and risk factors related to the demands of school; balancing academic, social, and employment responsibilities while being independent and away from family, friends, and other supports — often for the first time. Today, 40% of young adults age 18-24 are enrolled in a two or four year educational institution. Statistics show that 75% of mental illnesses develop before age 25, making colleges ideal locations for early identification. However, the number one reason students say they do not use mental health resources is lack of knowledge that those resources even exist.
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?
Mental Health First Aid USA is a training — like regular First Aid or CPR — designed to give people the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to recognize and respond to the warning signs of specific illnesses.
Mental Health First Aid teaches participants a five-step action plan, ALGEE, to support someone developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis:
Assess for risk of suicide or harm
Listen nonjudgmentally
Give reassurance and information
Encourage appropriate professional help
Encourage self-help and other support strategies
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education is designed with colleges’ and universities’ unique culture and resources in mind. Training students, faculty and others in higher education settings how to recognize the symptoms of emerging mental illnesses or to assist young adults in a mental health crisis can help lessen the severity and impact of mental illnesses. The course includes:
- A discussion of campus culture and its relevance to the topic of mental health
- A discussion of the specific stress and risk factors faced by the higher education population
- Applying the ALGEE action plan in a number of scenarios designed specifically for faculty, administration and students
- A review of the mental health resources available on campus and through partnerships in the community
