Why More Employers Should Provide 'Mental Health First Aid
Everyone knows that first-aid training saves lives—which is why it’s a common component of many companies’ wellness efforts. Yet few organizational leaders choose to educate their workforces about mental illness, a set of conditions that cause more lost workdays and impairment than arthritis, asthma, back pain, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Why?
It’s not because mental illness is uncommon or already managed in the population. On average, 1 in 5 U.S. adults will experience it in their lifetimes. Of those, approximately two-thirds won’t receive treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Among full-time workers, 1 in 10 will be affected by substance abuse, which often occurs in conjunction with a mental health disorder.
What it does do is help allay employees’ fear and hesitation about starting conversations with others about mental health and substance abuse. The first such program was created by a nurse and professor in Australia in 2001, and other programs have emerged since then. A typical course shows employees how to recognize the signs of a problem and gives them the tools and vocabulary to help.
First-aid training for physical conditions uses easy-to-remember acronyms such as ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) to reinforce key lessons. Similarly, the mental health training my company adopted—which is called Mental Health First Aid—is structured around a mnemonic device: ALGEE. When workers recognize telltale signs of a mental health problem or emergency, such as erratic behavior or a sudden shift in personality or appearance, they are taught to:
Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
Listen nonjudgmentally.
Give reassurance and information.
Encourage appropriate professional help.
Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
The goal is to give participants the knowledge, resources and takeaways they need to feel empowered to act.
It’s time for company leaders to take a step back as well—and realize the importance of adding mental health education to a holistic wellness strategy.
References:
https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0518/pages/why-more-employers-should-provide-mental-health-first-aid.aspx