Mental health has always been an important part of one’s overall health, but unfortunately, often a taboo subject.   The need for mental health awareness and education is expected to increase due to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  According to the CDC, during the pandemic, more than 3 in 10 adults reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder since May 2020 in the U.S. 35.2% of adult Kentuckians reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder in May 2021, which was higher than the national average. Suicide and substance abuse also increased during the pandemic.  In order to meet this need, the Campbell County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent taught the certification program, mental health first aid (adult version) in the Northern Kentucky area.  

During 2020-2021, 15 Extension agents, assistants, and volunteers were trained in the eight-hour mental health first aid course (41 total participants since 2019).  Having been endorsed by the University of Kentucky’s Family and Consumer Sciences specialists and assistant director, this training gives participants the skills needed to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.  The following topics were covered:  common signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance abuse, how to interact with a person in crisis, how to connect the person with help, and how to apply the mental health first aid action plan.  At the end of the eight-hour course, participants’ evaluations showed the following areas increased in confidence as a result of the program:

1. 100% could recognize the signs that someone may be dealing with a mental health problem or crisis.
2. 100% could actively and compassionately listen to someone in distress.
3. 100% could offer a distressed person basic “first aid” level information and reassurance about mental health problems.
4. 100% could assist a person who may be dealing with a mental health problem or crisis to seek professional help.
5. 100% could assist a person who may be dealing with a mental health problem or crisis to connect with community, peer, and personal supports.
6. 100% could be aware of their own views and feelings about mental health problems and disorders.
7. 100% could recognize and correct misconceptions about mental health and mental illness as they encounter them.
8. 100% would recommend this course to others.
9. 93% said they could ask a person whether she/he is considering killing herself/himself.
10. 87% said they could reach out to someone who may be dealing with a mental health problem or crisis.

One previous participant stated the following: “The Mental Health First Aid Training equipped me with the skills that I needed to assist my niece.   A few months after I was trained, my niece had something very awful happen to her at her workplace.  The situation was so bad that she had anxiety to the point to where she had a type of mental breakdown.  She lives about four hours from me, and I talked with her on the phone in order to try to help her get the help she needed.  There was a great deal of talking her through her situation.  We finally were able to get her stable enough to call for help and she received the help she needed.  I am proud to say that she is now back in her career and is excelling.  I feel that this course gave me the confidence and skills to ask the right questions and suggest the right solutions.”  

Another former participant said, “It wasn’t until I took the adult mental health training that I realized how much I really needed it. A few months after taking the training, I would witness my husband have a severe anxiety attack and the world was starting to change due to COVID-19. I have suffered from my own anxieties in life, but I never witnessed a panic attack before.  Seeing my husband go through that was such a challenge, but I am grateful every day that I was able to use the resources given during the training to help guide him. I often times reflected back to my Mental Health First Aid book to learn and understand what was going on in his head. I now keep that book close by as a frequent refresher of the importance of understanding mental health and being able to help others when needed.”