Mental Health First Aid Program: How to Create a Mental Health Program in Your Enterprises

Introduction

Understanding mental health needs at your enterprise is no easy feat. A Mental health Program is fixed to address the concerns effectively. Specifically, the MHFA can be the first step in this direction. MHFA is a pre-designed tool created to keep the needs of an enterprise in mind. 

Through this program, employees at your enterprise can learn how to address their mental health concerns.

In this article, we discuss how you can  implement a mental health based structure for your workplace. 

What is a Mental Health First Aid Program?

First, to establish a MHFA program is to have comprehensive information about it. Mental health related first aid is similar to physical first aid. The main purpose is to provide care until professional services take over. 

Second, it is designed to be the first line of action in specific scenarios. These specific scenarios include situations where professionals are unable to reach directly. Lack of awareness, stigma, and burnout are other similarly restricting scenarios. 

Third, the key components of the program will provide you accurate information. Myths and misconceptions will make it less likely to seek help. To ensure this does not happen, all the relevant information about mental health is provided. 

Similarly, the information is created to consider all the challenges you might face. You will learn about the everyday hurdles in dealing with mental health issues. You will also acquire how to reach out to accurate resources for the same. 

Why Mental Health First Aid is Important?

Currently, mental health issues are slowly increasing. Lack of awareness and stigma is one of the main causes. Therefore, First Aid addresses these barriers to well being.

Following are the important ways in which MHFA is addressing well-being. 

Preventive Measures in Mental Health First Aid

Firstly, ne of the best ways to deal with  mental health issues is by preventive measures. Focusing on the early signs of developing illness is one such way that MHFA helps. Also, awareness of stress management and healthy coping skills are important for your wellbeing. 

Increased Treatment Seeking

Precisely, MHFA creates awareness about signs and symptoms of psychological disorders. This helps in early detections of various mental illnesses.  Moreover, along with detection, it helps in accessing timely treatment, reducing treatment gaps. 

Reduces Individual Burden 

However, if you are suffering from mental health issues, you face difficulty opening up. Primarily, this is due to misconceptions about mental health issues and stigmas attached. Thankfully, first aid can help challenge these stigmas and provide accurate information to the needy. 

Promotes Wellbeing 

Besides, emphasis on mental health  provides you the opportunity to keep your well being in check. It helps you to have a systematic approach towards sensitive issues. Thereby, initiating a road to recovery and holistic health.

What are the Steps to create Mental Health First Aid Program in your enterprises?

Consequently, your enterprise will require a multidimensional approach. Besides, any efficient workplace consists of a systematic approach to deal with such concerns. In order to implement such an approach, some important steps have to be considered. 

Below are some of the essential steps in creation of MHFA at your enterprise.

Committing to Mental Health First Aid

Before establishing a systematic blueprint,you need to first convince the stakeholders and the employees. You are required to inculcate all levels of the workforce in your enterprise. For this you start with assigning leadership and creating discussions.

Eventually, once the personnel at your organisation are ready to commit you can move on to the next step. 

Training 

Subsequently, you begin by training the employees based on researched manuals. Also, you can hire experts in the field trained to address mental health queries. These experts will usually have some background in psychiatry, psychology or human resources. 

You can also seek out certification from external agencies that take care of training the workforce. 

Establishing an Internal System 

Additionally, once the training is complete, you need to establish an internal system of care. The internal system will ensure a smooth process for someone seeking out help. It will also help in dealing with crisis scenarios where professional help might be delayed. 

The internal system refers to assigned tasks within the workforce, where you know your role in providing first aid. 

Review and Improve

Ultimately, accept that in spite of best efforts, improvement will be needed. As mental health issues are not easily detected, some employees might still struggle. Remember, be open to feedback and make changes in the system wherever necessary. 

Reviewing and improving the MHFA will help employees feel heard and their concerns visible. 

How is Mental Health First Aid helpful at Work ?

Since, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns are prevalent. Inability to address these concerns reduces functioning in several aspects of life. Mental health issues deeply affect an employee’s well being and functioning.

Following are some of the major solutions that Mental Health First Aid Program provides at work. 

Workplace Productivity and Mental Health First Aid Program

For instance, productivity is one of the crucial ways in which mental health issues are affected at the workplace. This means that you or employees might struggle to meet deadlines and complete tasks. This can slow down the efficiency of the entire workplace. 

Mental Health First Aid Program helps in detection and provision of early care to deal with struggling employees. 

Absenteeism and Mental Health First Aid Program

On the one hand, you or an employee might struggle with mental health issues significantly. On the other hand, due to the everyday struggles of living with such issues, you might have difficulty attending work altogether. Instead, you find yourself having regular leaves from work to endure mental health issues. 

Mental Health First Aid Program helps in creating a more conducive workplace environment for needful employees. 

Mental Health First Aid Program Utilizes Coworkers Support 

Initially, the program doesn’t require additional man-force or resources. Rather, it is designed to train existing employees at your enterprise. Employees act as the first line of mental health care in the workplace. 

Mental Health First Aid Program, therefore, utilizes the support of colleagues and coworkers to increase care services at the workplace. 

Decreasing Barriers 

Finally, through provisions in the workplace, you have more support and information at hand. This means that you don’t have to hide mental health issues at work. Instead, you can reach  out to your colleagues for support.

MHFA reduces risks of not seeking help and stigma to increased support at the workplace. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, Mental Health First Aid is essential for workplace effectiveness and wellbeing of your employees. To establish it within your enterprise you need to have a designed structure and provide training. 

If you find a need to address the mental health issues at the workplace, consider creating an open environment. Find out more information in this article about a conducive environment at work. The United we care app has a diverse set of resources to meet your workplace needs. 

References

[1] Angela, “Create healthier and more engaged employees with mental health first aid at work,” Mental Health First Aid, https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2023/09/create-healthier-more-engaged-employees-with-mhfa-at-work/ (accessed Oct. 15, 2023).

[2] S. Dzemaili, J. Pasquier, A. Oulevey Bachmann, and M. Mohler-Kuo, “The effectiveness of mental health first aid training among undergraduate students in Switzerland: A randomized control trial,” MDPI, https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1303 (accessed Oct. 15, 2023).

[3] Bovopoulos N;Jorm AF;Bond KS;LaMontagne AD;Reavley NJ;Kelly CM;Kitchener BA;Martin A;, “Providing mental health first aid in the workplace: A Delphi Consensus Study,” BMC psychology, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27485609/ (accessed Oct. 15, 2023).

[4] K. B. AF;, “Mental health first aid training in a workplace setting: A randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN13249129],” BMC psychiatry, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15310395/ (accessed Oct. 15, 2023).