Is your Mental Health First Aid strategy fit for purpose?

I don’t think there are many who deride the content of the 2 Day Mental Health First Aid programme. It is packed with stats, information, useful resources and the opportunity to learn a straightforward framework to help someone in crisis.

However, with some strong marketing and high-level support and advocacy it has become a fall back to a lack of good mental health policy and practice in organisations.

I’ve spoken with 4 Mental Health First Aiders in the past 2 weeks who feel isolated in their role, worried about some of the people they have spoken with and concerned if they are “doing it right”. That is shocking. This raises several concerns:

1.      Anyone who takes on a listening role to those in crisis will inevitably hear some difficult life experiences. When you care about others this can be hard to hear and can affect the listener. Accepting this is not a professional counselling role, it is not necessary to embark on a clinical supervision approach HOWEVER there must be a robust and appropriate mechanism in place to ensure the integrity of the role and safety of those involved.

I liken it to volunteer crisis roles like the Samaritans or Give us a Shout volunteers who work to bring people down from crisis to a calm that enables them to get the right help. There is appropriate support both at the time of a shift for volunteers and at any time afterwards. This focuses on the volunteer and how they are feeling, anything they need to talk about relating to their listening role.

2.       I am struck with how many people become MH First Aiders because of their own mental health challenges. It’s powerful to know someone can empathise with you through their lived experience. Talking about your own ill health can be the permission someone else needs to go seek help. However, we must be certain that those who sign up are in a good enough place themselves and self-aware enough to take on the role.

3.      The role needs to be positioned as a first aid role. It’s not and never should be any more than an informed person who can listen and offer a signpost to appropriate resources. And let’s be clear on this – that is an invaluable resource. It is not appropriate that someone who has attended a 2-day programme becomes the ongoing go to for people who are struggling with their mental health. Yet this happens all too often.

4.      Putting Mental Health First Aiders in an organisation should not be the first response to Mental Health strategy or policy. There needs to be a clear understanding of the extent of the problem you are trying to solve and the strategic intent. It is no use as a sticking plaster if you have an open wound.

It’s not all gloom though. Where companies introduce the role as an additional, confidential resource for people struggling an informed, good listener can provide amazing support. Armed with relevant information and facts, the MHFA team can help to reduce stigma and support a shift in perspective to create a workplace where people thrive.

With work related stress as a significant cause of sickness absence, presenteeism and people leaving there is still much to do. A well informed, caring group of Mental Health First Aiders who feel connected to a broader strategy, who know here people can go for help and who are supported through their conversations is a valuable piece of a jigsaw.

Anne Archer; Mental Health First Aid Instructor