NEW: Mental Health First Aid Monthly Newsletter

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“ The same day I completed the Youth Mental Health First Aid training, I was able to put it into practice. A friend reached out and did not sound like herself … I asked her if she was thinking of killing herself ... It felt odd to ask her if she had thought about how she would do it, but she opened up, and her breathing actually became lighter. It was almost as if she had been holding her breath, waiting for someone to just ask. … then we talked about getting help.”   - Mandy Wright, Executive Director, CASA for Kids of South-Central Texas This month we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month by sharing inspiring stories from people just like you. They wrote about the ways Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) has impacted their communities and their lives. From friends to colleagues, strangers to loved ones, MHFA is crucial for early intervention and aiding the journey to recovery for individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. That’s important because research shows that the most effective way to help someone who may be at risk is to intervene early, before the condition can progress, especially because less than half (44%) of U.S. adults receive treatment for mental health conditions. MHFA equips people from all walks of life with the information and skills to support someone who may be experiencing a challenge. Your open and honest conversations with each other help reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage professional help to those who may need it. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities around the U.S. – and our mental health along with them. MHFA emphasizes supporting each other and taking care of ourselves with self-care strategies. We can #BeTheDifference by talking about how we’re really doing and remembering that it’s OK to not be OK. The stories First Aiders, Instructors and Coordinators shared highlight the benefits of MHFA, especially in these difficult times. Be sure to check out our blog and social media channels for daily information and tips – follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!     Get that Sh*t Out Campaign Mental Health First Aid USA is partnering with Bioré Skincare to bring free, virtual Mental Health First Aid training to students across at least 100 colleges in the United States! Training will be provided on a first-come-first-serve per college basis. College students can learn more and apply at MHFA.org/Biore. For more information, follow @BioreUS on Instagram.     New Name, New Look: The National Council for Mental Wellbeing The National Council for Behavioral Health changed its name to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, which more aptly reflects our commitment to make mental wellbeing, including recovery from substance use challenges, a reality for everyone. The new name responds to changes in the fields of mental health and substance use treatment and better defines the work of our nearly 3,500 member organizations. Mental Health First Aid is adopting a dynamic new look that reinforces the link between the National Council and this vital program.     Voices of Mental Health First Aid      One County’s MHFA Experience  Sue Wyder, a MHFA Coordinator and program manager in King County, Washington, explains how important MHFA is, and how King County expanded the program during COVID-19 to reach more people in Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities. Read more.     You Can Be a Lifeline Dawn Redmond, a Mental Health First Aid Coordinator and Secretary, shares how MHFA changed her perspective around mental health and self-care, and encourages her every day to think more critically about what she says when providing support to patients and their families. Read more.     teen Mental Health First Aid Taught Me How to Help My Friends After being trained in teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA), Ella Vaillancourt describes how the training enabled her to be a more supportive friend and care for her own mental health. Read more.     Why I Teach Mental Health First Aid Following the death of a colleague who was experiencing unrecognized mental and substance use challenges, Tony Cloud helped bring MHFA to his facility to help staff better care for each other and their clients. Read more.     By Being Observant, You Can Change Someone’s Life Rev. Jason Pointer, a director of pastoral care and counseling and clinical pastoral education coordinator, relates his own journey with mental health and how Mental Health First Aid has positively impacted his role in the largest psychiatric hospital in Texas. Read more.     ALGEE in the News     The Renton, Washington, Chamber of Commerce trained local businesses and non-profit organizations in Mental Health First Aid after its CEO noticed an overwhelming need in the community. Read more.     Employees at the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, were trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid as part of the Club’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. Read more.     The Mental Health Board in Vermilion County, Illinois, is offering Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid in response to steadily rising teen suicide rates in the state and nationwide. Read more.     Thank you for choosing to #BeTheDifference, Mental Health First Aid USA     The  National Council for Mental Wellbeing is the unifying voice of America’s health care organizations that deliver mental health and addictions treatment and services. Together with our 3,326 member organizations serving over 10 million adults, children and families living with mental illnesses and addictions, the National Council is committed to all Americans having access to comprehensive, high-quality care that affords every opportunity for recovery. The National Council introduced  Mental Health First Aid USA  and 2 million Americans have been trained. For more information, please visit  www.TheNationalCouncil.org.